Bundles of Trouble
by Lady-Sttar
Summary: After the well seals itself Kagome finds out she is pregnant. She never got a chance to tell InuYasha. She has to raise their son alone. Will they ever be able to discover the secret of the bone eaters well and be reunited? Will InuYasha ever know he has
1. Chapter 1

Kagome rested her chin on the old well. It smelled of damp earth and wood. She heaved a sigh as her thoughts drifted back to InuYasha. _Its been two years… why won't the well open?_ Kishirou had left in the morning with his Great Grandfather, Grandmother and Uncle Souta. He was going to have so much fun visiting the rest of the family at the reunion. Kagome had wanted some time to her self and decided to stay behind. It was always nice to have some free time; being a mother was a little exhausting.

"InuYasha! Can you hear me? You are a jerk!" She listened to her voice echo sadly at her and scrubbed the tears off with the back of her hand. She snuffled a few times before walking away from the old well. Kagome stopped at the door and looked back at it. The sun gently brushed the inside of the well house with a warm glow. "I am going to make it this time!" She ran and leapt throwing herself down into the mercy of the well. Her body hit the ground hard and knocked the wind from her lungs. "Damnit Damnit Damnit." The pebbles ground into her knee and wrist's scrapes. "Damn you. Inu…Yasha… Inu… Yasha."

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InuYasha's hand covered his shoulder wound in an attempt to slow the blood lost. He quickly limped towards his safe haven. His mind was focused and determined drawing a stony expression to his features until he smelled Kagome tears. His eyes grew wide as he realized the scent lingered from the bone eaters well. He loped towards it with little regard to the pain of his body.

"Kagome?" He scarcely breathed her name as he looked down into the dark abode. She was hutched over, with her legs curled underneath her and leaning on her elbows. "Did you hurt yourself?"

"InuYasha? InuYasha!" Kagome threw herself into his arms knocking him onto his back. She had moved too quickly for him to even see her climb up the well. Her soft lips pressed against his own. He felt her tears splash against his cheeks. Though still in shock of seeing her, he instinctively ran his hands threw her ebony hair. She pulled back to look at him.

"InuYasha I didn't—"

"Ouch! Kagome… your hand." InuYasha hissed threw clamped teeth and squinted his eyes shut. Kagome shifted her weight onto her legs, pulling her hand back to stare at blood. "Its nothing." He said quickly. "We have to get out of here." InuYasha grabbed her hand and fiercely pulled her after him, away from Keade's village.

"What's going on?"

"I can't explain it now. Just move quickly."

"But… why are we not going to the village? You're hurt. That should be tended to…"

"Trust me. I'll explain later. Don't talk. I'm afraid… afraid it may draw them…." InuYasha lead her to the base of a mountain. Green moss grew on its sides and determined grass planted its roots in the rocky soil. Mostly it brownish stone that stood against the sky.

"This way." He pulled her through a narrow opening into a large cave. She would have never noticed it if he hadn't pointed it out. Once inside he pushed a stone in front of the entrance blocking off the light. Kagome felt the cold cavern wall behind her and sunk to her knees.

"Why are you hiding? That's not like you at all…" Two colliding stones clanked against each other until small sparks jumped forth. The sparks set the tinder aflame. In the glow of the firelight she could see Inu Yasha kneeing before a pre-made fire pit. "You planned this?" He sat the stones aside to stare at her with his golden eyes.

"I've used this place many times." He placed his hand over his wound. "There have been many Youkai attacks since you left. At first they were looking for the scared jewel… but after a year of not sensing it they gave up. During that year, I protected the village and the well. Rumors spread that a hanyou was slaughtering full breed Youkai. Feh!" He smirked then frowned, "Now they come every day seeking to destroy the half breed who has made a mockery of their kind…. They haven't realized I did it to protect the village. They think I only lurk in the woods… as long as they think I am out here, they keep looking and don't bother the people."

"That's why you're hiding?"

"I'm _not_ hiding!" He glared, "This is from a spider Youkai. The poison isn't bad, but it will slow my movements. The Youkai want an impressive show; they _will_ get it! I'll be fine in the morning. The spider is dead already."

_You were afraid. Afraid, you wouldn't be quick enough to survive, _Kagome frowned. _He normally just charges into battle without thinking… what's different about this time that made him change? Too many attacks to act foolishly?_

"Is Miroku and Sango still here?"

"Yes… they may be getting married soon, if he ever has the guts to ask her." InuYasha's clawed hand clasped Kagome's.

"I should tend that wound."

"It will be fine in the morning."

"InuYasha!"

"There is nothing here to clean it with."

"I'll go back and—"

"No!" His eyes spoke of an unnamed fear. "No, the Youkai are out there. They are looking anyone who has my scent on them. It's too dangerous. I'll be fine by morning." His lips brushed against hers. "Why didn't you come back, Kagome?" he whispered and rested his forehead against hers.

"I tried to, almost every day for the first year. This is the first time I have been able to get back. I've tried so many times…"

"So did I. I thought you perhaps you were angry with me and sealed the well."

"How could I have been angry? The last time I saw you was wonderful."

"I don't know. I only knew I couldn't get to you. You think it will stay open this time?" _Kishirou. What if I can't get back? _Fear made her blood run cold and she was unable to moved. "Nevermind. It doesn't matter. I'm not letting you go through that well without me. If we are going to be stuck on one side or the other, at least it will be the same side."

He pressed his body against hers forcing her onto her back. His gentle kisses moved from her lips to her jawbone. His arms encircled her crushing her into his toned body.

"InuYasha, you're hurt."

"Keh!" Kagome smiled hearing his familiar noise again. She lifted her hands to play with his white ears and was rewarded with a gentle rumble.

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Kagome awakened to what she had hoped for years. InuYasha's naked body was wrapped around her own. The fire had died out long ago but his body heat kept her warm. She snuggled deeper into his embrace. She noticed that his wound had healed as he had promised. However, dry blood still lay on her shoulder as if to mar her dream with harsh reality. InuYasha buried his nose into her hair and breathed deeply.

"InuYasha… I have to tell you something…"

"Shhh… let me enjoy this a little longer." _You have a son. It's easy to think it. It's less easy to say. _Her eyelashes tickled his throat. This was the second time they had made love. The last was right before she had jumped into the well. She had planned to return in only three days but the well had sealed itself.

"InuYasha there is something you really need to know." He growled in annoyance and kissed her. She knew it was to distract her, but knowing that didn't make her immune to his intentions.

"Love you, Kagome." He nuzzled her nose. Jerking away, he looked over his shoulder. "Damnit! Get dressed!" He left her to pull on his red pants.

"What is it?" She asked rubbing her arms for warmth.

"They found us. Hurry."

"How could they?" She heard a rattle beyond the cave entrance.

"Be quiet." InuYasha warned. His ears twitched with unknown sounds. After staring intensely at the stone blocking the opening, he tossed Kagome's clothes at her. "No questions. Just hurry."

After quickly dressing, InuYasha lead her toward the back of the cave. She couldn't see anything and relied on InuYasha to lead her. " I don't think they will find the entrance to the cave, but you never know. There is a back way out. It's near the top of the mountain and on the other side." Nothing more was said as he led her through the darkness.

Finally they came upon sunlight that shown through a hole in the low ceiling. Looking at it she doubted even her small body could fit through such a tiny opening. InuYasha grabbed the sides with his claws and surprisingly pulled himself through. He reached down for her. She took his hand and allowed him to heave her out and sit her on her feet.

"That looks a lot smaller than it actually is."

"Don't talk." He took her hand and started down the mountain. After only a mere five steps, a snake Youkai greeted them. His dark green scaly head towered twenty feet above them and his tail rattled ominously.

"Did yoooou find yerssssssself a preeeetty mate, Hanyou?"

"None of your damn business!" The giant snake's tail lashed around and in one green blur InuYasha was thrown from the mountaintop and went skidding down it with a cloud of dust. The snake gingerly wrapped himself around Kagome.

"A huuuuuuuman mate. Fitting for a Hanyou." The Yayoi's forked tongue slithered out of its mouth as it took in her scent. His piercing fiery eyes narrowed. "Noooot juuuust any huuuuuman girl…." His dark nose drew closer to her as he flicked out his pink tongue again. Kagome did the first thing she thought of, she bit down on his hide. He screamed in surprise and threw her down the mountain after her lover.

Kagome's bruised body stopped close to InuYasha. He was already on his feet and between her and the demon. The fang transformed as the half-demon removed it from its sheath.

"KAZE NO KIZU!" Using immense speed the snake swiveled its body away from the attack and came plugging down the hill. The demon collided directly into InuYasha as a hail of dirt rose in its wake. With a violent swish of its massive tail, it knocked Kagome off her feet. She tumbled down the hill.

"Shit." cursed Kagome when she managed to regain her footing. She fought tears of pain. _I don't have my bow. _Her hand wrapped tightly around a large rock in frustration. _That's Kishirou's father!_ _InuYasha doesn't know yet! _Red and green moved back and forth like and elaborate dance through the dust cloud. The miko threw the large stone. It crashed into the snake's red eye. The demon threw its head back with a scream. InuYasha dashed forward slashing it with his sword. The fresh blood spilled onto the ground yet the snake reopened its uninjured eye to glare at Kagome. Seconds later it was it was slithering towards her with its unnatural speed. Kagome ran but she could see the shadow of the demon looming over her. InuYasha dashed infront and picked up Kagome. He bounded towards the bone eaters well. Their escape was short lived. The snake used its massive body to knock InuYasha towards the ground.

"Are you ok, Kagome?"

"Yeah, I think so." She gasped as she saw blood fall from InuYasha. The hanyou grabbed Kagome's arm and fiercely tossed her towards the well. As her body flew she wondered vaguely if he had pulled her arm from its socket. Her ribs hit the edge of the well knocking the wind from her lungs. The miko slumped to her knees in the soft grass.

InuYasha was encircled by the snake scaly body. The Tetsusaiga glimmered in the sunlight as the hanyou fought with his enemy. There was dark cloud in the sky. _Miroku would say that's a bad omen. _She narrowed her eyes and discovered the 'dark cloud' was a bat demon flying towards the battle.

"InuYasha!"

"Go!" The snake turned its head toward Kagome as if remembering her. With its uncanny swiftness the snake ran towards her. With a panic expression InuYasha drove the Tesusaiga into the snakes departing body yet it continued onward. "Go! Kagome! Go now!"

"Not without you!" She barely avoided the demon's fangs as she fled.

"Stupid bitch." InuYasha's nails pitched into her skin as he pulled her away from another attack.

"There's a bat headed this way!" said Kagome as she was pulled securely into Inu's chest. He looked up at the sky his silver hair billowing out behind him. His nose twitched smelling the breeze.

"More than one." He said quietly then added "Get in that god damn well bitch." He shoved his kagome away from him as the snake attacked again. Kagome fell backwards into the well and suddenly found herself looking up at the well house's ceiling.

"Ouch my neck." Kagome rubbed it tenderly. "InuYasha was bleeding. That Baka!" She climbed the rope ladder and picked up her bow and arrows from the wall hooks. Taking a deep breath, she hopped back into the well. She looked up at the ceiling once more.

"InuYasha!" She climbed again and threw herself down. "InuYasha!" Again she climbed and jumped down. "You stupid baka. What if you get yourself killed? Baka! Baka! Baka!" She climbed the ladder and leaped into the darkness again.

Her mother found her at the bottom of the well two days later. Kagome was curled in a ball and covered with dirt. Her mother's heart ached for her daughter.

"Kagome, honey, you are going to seriously hurt yourself if you keep doing this. If the well opens again InuYasha will come here." She said quietly.

"I… I… got through. I got through, mamma. But its closed again. I've tried all weekend. I've tried… I've tried so hard. What if he's hurt? He needs me mamma. He needs me." Kagome's mother shook her head. She had heard similar mumblings out of her daughter before. Kagome was finally starting to coop with the situation and enjoying having a son. Yet here she was at the bottom of the well again.

"I'm sure InuYasha is fine dear. Come on out of there. Kishirou is waiting for you. He wants you to tuck him into bed." At the mention of Kishirou's name Kagome started crying. Her mother sighed. "Come up here, Kagome. InuYasha would want you to take care of his child. I know he is doing everything in his power to get back here. He'll figure it out. It will just take time. Have faith in him. Come on up now. You can have a nice long bath and tuck Kishirou into bed." Kagome climbed out of the well and hugged her mother.

"I don't know what to do anymore."

"You were down there all weekend weren't you?" Her mother rubbed Kagome's back reassuringly. "You will feel better after a bath. Let's just take it one day at a time."

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Yes yes I know I'm evil. I haven't finished my other story and yet here I am posting this. Actually I've had this one on my computer for awhile. I'll work on getting more chappies up for both. Don't hate me! I'm not dead! I promise I'll finish both stories!


	2. Crazy Okaasan

Chapter Two: Crazy Okaasan

Mrs. Higurashi pulled the tea bags out of the cupboard and closed it with a clack. The water in the pot was just starting to bubble. She opened another cupboard and took out the teacups allowing them to ting together before placing them on the table. She closed the cupboard with another clack.

Unfortunately, the sounds in the kitchen were not loud enough to drown out the sounds coming from the upstairs bathroom that was over the kitchen. Mrs. Higurashi could clearly hear the Kagome crying even over the shower water. She sighed and could only hope her Godson down the hall from the bathroom could not hear his mother, even though she knew he could. Mrs. Higuarshi pulled out a chair and sat down to wait for the water to fully boil.

Mrs. Higuarshi rubbed her temples. It was difficult to be a good mother. Part of being a good mother was being strong. _Grieving is necessary but should not be done around children. I cried every night for a year after Kagome's father died, but I never let my children hear me. Its hard, but it must be done. It's even harder being strong enough for both Kagome and Kishirou. Kagome needs to turn all that pain she feels for InuYasha into devotion for her child. She needs to be happy. Its easy to be sad and it takes so much strength to be happy. She has to pull through this. She has to pull through because Kishirou needs a mother. He shouldn't have too grow up fast. He shouldn't have to be her crutch. _The squeak of the shower knob turned and Kagome's snuffles. Mrs. Higuarshi went to the stove and fetched the water for the tea.

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Kagome walked down the hall to Kishirou. Her eyes were red and puffy but she didn't think Kishirou would notice. He was only nearing his second birthday after all. Kishirou had Souta's old room, he had gone off to college.

She peered into the crib to find Kishirou peering out of his blankets. His dark blue eyes looked frightened. The black dog ears perched on top of his head were alert. They almost blended in with his dark locks. And just the smallest points of his fingernails were visible as the griped the covers.

"I told you not to be afraid of the dark, Sweetie," said Kagome.

"I'm not," squeaked back Kishirou looking into his mother's eyes that were swollen with brimming tears.

"Then what's bothering you?"

"Nuthin," Kishirou replied. Kagome sighed as she could see he was lying._ Doesn't want to admit he's afraid of the dark, huh? Proud just like- _

"You remind me so much of your father." Her sapphire eyes squeezed out more out more tears. She wiped them away quickly.

"Tell me about him." Kagome smiled sadly at her son and began story time.

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Two weeks later and Mrs. Higuarshi was becoming agitated. It was unlike her to be annoyed instead of compassionate. She felt the maternal instinct to protect Kishirou and right now, he needed protecting from his own mother. She let the cupboard door shut with a loud bang, not that her daughter noticed.

"Really Mom, I saw him. He was right there! Right there! I mean I touched him and he was there! I was there! The firerat robes were there! I didn't see Sango or anyone else. But he was there! He was there! And he was hurt! BAKA! He was hurt! And he wasn't listening. He never listens. That's so Inu-"

"STOP IT!" Mrs. Higuarshi couldn't help the glare she shot her daughter. Kishirou sat at the breakfast table looking breathless and pale. "Not another word Kagome. Not another word. Don't say his name!" She hissed to her daughter. She nodded her head in Kishirou direction hoping that Kagome would notice his distress at his mother's ranting.

"But he was there! I was there! If I could just figure out what was different that time I could-"

"Get yourself stuck on the other side?" asked Mrs. Higuarshi deciding to allow the delusion if it would bring a moment of sanity.

"I'll take Kishirou with me. I'll take him to see his father." Kagome nodded eagerly.

"YOU DIDN'T GO BACK, KAGOME! YOU WERE DREAMING!" shouted Mrs. Higuarshi finally losing her temper. She regretted it immediately watching her daughter tear up for the fifth time today over her breakfast of scrambled eggs.

"I… I… I am not! I was not! I… I was there, mama, I was there."

"I believe you," chirped in Kishirou. Both Kagome and Mrs.Higuarshi turned to look at Kishirou whose small ears went from drooping to straight up.

"Course you do, " sniffled Kagome as she tried to compose herself. "Your father will come see us sometime soon." She managed a weak smile. Mrs.Higuarshi saw a glimmer of hope in this statement.

"You will just have to grow big and strong for when he gets here," said Mrs.Higuarshi as she piled more bacon on to his plate. "I'm sure the only thing InuYasha is doing is working on getting back to his family. We just have to trust him and have faith in him. Kagome will make sure you grow up big and strong for when your father arrives, won't you dear?" Kishirou gave an uneasy smile to his mom waiting for her reassurance that everything would be ok. Kagome rubbed his head affectionately and nodded.

"Of course, that's what mommies do."

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Kagome had worried and cried herself sick. She vomited every morning as soon as she awoke. Mrs. Higuarshi forced her to drink enough water to sink a ship for fear of her becoming dehydrated. Kagome's wails and moods had been going on high and Mrs. Higuarshi wasn't sure her ears could take any more noise. She had locked Kagome in her bedroom for fear Kagome would hurt herself by slamming her body into the well endlessly. Mrs. Higuarshi wished for InuYasha's quick and save return, however much she doubted it would ever happen. Kagome had lost her mind.

"I was there! I was there! I was there!"

Even in the living room, she could hear her daughter's screams. She wondered if she should have Kagome taken to a mental hospital… but it would be impossible to explain that _most_ of Kagome's stories were true. Surely, a social worker would be sent to the house to check on Kishirou. It was hard enough trying to hide InuYasha's traits without a government official snooping around.

"INUYASHA! Why did you leave! Why!"

Her grandson was wrapped around her leg as she dusted off the items in the house. Mrs.Higuarshi had learned to walk with him going along for the ride quite well. She didn't even notice the extra weight. She scratched between his ears and smiled encouragingly

"INUYA… why? Why didn't you COME BACK YOU BAKA! BAKA! BAKA! Why did you leave me here ALOOOOOOOONE?"

"Is Daddy going to come back soon?" whispered Kishirou.

"BAKA! BAKA! BAKA!"

"Soon as he can, Dear." Responded Mrs.Higuarshi.

"I was there! I was there! I was there! I was riiiight there!"

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A/N

Yes I know in the series Kagome has brown eyes. Well its my fanfiction MWHAHAHAHAHA! Now she has blue eyes to match her son's! Actually I do think they made her eyes blue in one of the movies... I think so anyway...

Thanks to Moonlit Tiger Lily, Snowy, AnnieChanalc, Suaru, Isisoftheunderground, and amanda burke for reviewing the first chappie!

Though just for Annie I may have to make it M rated- HA! I may, I may not, put a lemon in this eventually. Only time will tell. But if I do that is many chappies away and she can't even get to Inu right now.. and well... she's losing it somewhat. Promise this Chappie will make more sense after the third Chappie.

Hope everyone had wonderful holidays!


	3. The Lie

Mrs.Higuarshi held her daughter's black hair away from the toilet. Kagome groaned pulling back and looking sickly pale. They had been sitting on the bathroom floor for over an hour. The cold title had did not bother her as much now that most of her body had adjusted to it. She waited to see if this time would perhaps be the last time Kagome heaved.

"I… I… think…I'm ok now."

"You want to try getting to the bed?" asked Mrs.Higuarshi.

"Yeah…"

"Ok, then." She helped supported Kagome's weight and gently guided her to the twin bed.

"I hate being sick."

"You're not running a fever."

"I still feel sick."

"Maybe we ought to get you to the doctor."

"Could you make an appointment?"

"Yes, just get some rest." Mrs.Higuarshi tucked Kagome in just like when she was little and then tiptoed out. She hesitated after closing the door. _Should I lock it? I'll only be gone a few minutes… but I really don't want to pull her out of the wel --again-- if she is sick like this. Oh well, just in case. _She turned the key with a click.

"Mommy doing any better?" asked her grandson who had waited outside the door.

"Not yet, but she will soon."

"How soon?"

"Well, I'm going to make a doctor's appointment for her. He can probably give her something to calm her stomach."

"Can I come too?"

"No, better not. You should stay and help your Grandfather," replied Ms. Higuarshi, to which Kishirou wrinkled his nose.

"But he'll have me in all that dust again! Its gross! And that mermaid tail was-" Kishirou suck out his tongue to illustrate his feelings. Ms. Higuarshi giggled.

"Well maybe he won't have any mermaid tails today."

"Oh great! Something worse!" Ms. Higuarshi laughter touched her eyes and she ruffled Kishirou's ebony hair.

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Mrs.Higuarshi sat next to Kagome with her arm around her for support. Doctor's offices always made Kagome nervous, a trait her daughter inherited from herself. Although she hadn't said so aloud for over a decade, her own uneasy with medical centers came from the sterile smell of their cleaning fluids. It seemed to permeate everything. Her son-in-law, as she had come to think of InuYasha, would have been much worse off in these surroundings with his sensitive nose.

"How are we doing today?" A voice came from behind them. Mrs. Higuarshi turned to see a female doctor in a lab coat. Her short hair was pulled up into a twist and she wore stylish black glasses.

"Just fine," replied Kagome smiling. The doctor walked around to the desk and took a seat in front of them.

"I'm glad to here that. You have nothing to worry about. You are very healthy and so—"

"What do you mean?" asked Kagome frantically, "I've been feeling terrible! There must be something wrong. I can't hold food down and when I do, I gain weight. I'm not sleeping well and—"

"Ms. Higuarshi," the doctor said interrupting the rant, "as I was about to say, you are very healthy and so is your child." The doctor paused waiting for her news to settle in before smiling broadly. "The symptoms you are experiencing should pass in a month or two, when your hormone levels even out. Is this your first child?"

"I… ah…"

"Are you sure?" asked Mrs. Higuarshi. The doctor nodded. "Really sure? It couldn't possibly be anything else?"

"Your daughter is quite pregnant. Now, is this the first pregnancy?"

"No," replied Kagome the ghost of a smile hinted at corners of her lips, "This… this would be my second child."

"Did you experience any of the same symptoms?"

"No, the first pregnancy was easy. I barely knew I was pregnant, at least not until I went into labor."

"Well each pregnancy is different. You should call me if you experience any serious discomfort. I don't want to prescribe you anything to help you sleep because it would affect the baby. Just eat healthy and get light exercise. You're blood pressure is good, nothing to worry about there. Should I have the receptionist set you up with regular appointments just to check up on you and the little one?"

"Yes," replied Mrs. Higuarshi nodding to the doctor, "Could we have a moment before doing so?"

"Take as long as you wish. Congratulations by the way." The doctored gave a friendly smile to Kagome. "We have some maternity classes you can take here for free with the father. I'm sure he's going to be excited about his second child. They are on Thursday evenings, do you two will be able to make it?" Kagome's eyes grew distant and her mother could see her happiness fade as the smile left her lips.

"Yes, my son-in-law will be thrilled. He's away on business right now. His job often takes him away for long periods of time so he won't be able to make it to the maternity classes." replied Mrs. Higuarshi. It was just a small lie, a twist of the truth really to make Kagome feel better. Yet, this was the beginning of a falsehood that would pursue the child for years.

"Alright, well, you can come in his place if that's ok with the new mom here," replied the doctor. Kagome nodded weakly. "Alright then, I'll let the receptionist know about the classes and the appointments. There's a phone over there if you can't wait to call him. Take as long as you need. " The doctor left them with a perky wave and closed the door.

Kagome immediately broke down into sobs. Her mother gently rubbed her back.

"Well I always wanted lots of Grandkids. Everything is going to be fine, Kagome."

"He doesn't know. I can't call him. He's not away on business. He was hurt the last time I saw him. He could be dead," wailed Kagome as she unleashed her tears. "I don't want to go through another pregnancy without him." Mrs. Higuarshi rubbed her daughter's back and whispered soothing words, yet a dark dread filled her. _What if Kagome had sex with someone thinking they were InuYasha? What if she wanted him so bad she dreamed him up? What if she was raped and she pretended she went back through the well just to deal with the pain? What if this child isn't InuYasha's? _

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Thanks to Suaru and Isisoftheunderground for reviewing!

Moonlit Tiger Lilyv: You know I could never write Kagome's grandfather as being anything other that quirky and encouraging. I realize this is because I am so close with my own grandfather. I don't think Kagome's mum was too hard on her; she was just trying to get her to nicely shut up before she upset her grandson any farther. Plus I think its perfectly reasonable that she have high expectations of Kagome for being a single mom, because she had to be a single mom. Thanks for the review :)


	4. Toshi

Kagome gave birth two weeks early. Mrs. Higuarshi watched over her newest grandchild, Toshi, as she slept in the crib. She was quiet and an unusually non-fussy baby. In contrast, the pregnancy had been incredibly difficult. Kagome had experienced every side effect of pregnancy that she hadn't with her first child. Yet, despite having to put up with all of Kagome's moods and assisting her through morning sickness Mrs. Higuarshi was happy to be present for the experience.

Mrs. Higuarshi's one regret was that InuYasha wasn't with Kagome. Mrs. Higuarshi had thought about it every day- How it should have been InuYasha holding Kagome's hair back through her morning sickness, how it should have been him having to go get fudge chocolate chip mint swirl ice-cream at three am instead of her- How Kagome should have been screaming her lungs out about her swollen ankles to her husband, instead of her mother. InuYasha was definitely missed at the shrine.

In some ways, the newest child had been a blessing. Kagome had to put a lot of energy into picking out new baby clothes, creating a nursery, keeping her Grandfather's 'family heirlooms' (such as the wrinkled head of Oipa for 'luck and prosperity') away from the nursery and answering Kishirou endless questions about 'where babies come from' and what 'being a big brother' meant.

Kagome had discussed Kishirou's well being with her mother, half way through her pregnancy, when her mind finally began to settle. After many late night kitchen talks she decided to elaborate on the tale she had told Kishirou about his father; now instead of "You're father is very far away and loves you very much and is trying everything to get back" the story became "You're father works in a really big business that has sent him over seas. He's not allowed to come back for a while but he's working really hard to make that happen. I got to see your father very briefly while you were at the family reunion, which is why you are going to have a new sister. He'll come back soon, ok?" This story seemed to satisfy him a little better than the other. He would be going to school soon and Kagome didn't want him "making up stories" nor did she want him teased. She also become conscious that Kishirou was afraid of his father being in danger and this story about him working soothed that fear.

Mrs. Higuarshi would have been ecstatic about Kagome's path towards mental soundness except for one small problem-- Mrs. Higuarshi caressed Toshi cheek and pulled her white hat down more securely over her human ears-- the newest member of the family was not InuYasha's child. The child closely resembled Kagome yet had Mrs.Higuarshi soft brown eyes and very blond hair. Mrs.Higuarshi had suspected as much.

Kagome had been more discrete about keeping upsetting words from Kishirou. She still spoke of her trip back to InuYasha's time but only when Kishirou was not around. Mrs.Higuarshi didn't mind as long as her grandchild was protected. However, the story had changed over time. At first, it was just little details and then they grew larger. Sometimes when Kagome recounted the tale, she went to Keade's villiage with InuYasha, and Miroku and Sango helped fight off demons, which were after the jewel. Sometimes Kagome said she hadn't seen Miroku or Sango, sometimes they went to another village nearby and were attacked by demons there… whatever the case the story was drastically different each time. Mrs.Higuarshi had taken to nodding and smiling as if the story was always the same and it was a fond memory of Kagome's.

It was better this way; better, that Kagome believed the child's was InuYasha's. Her daughter's mind was so fragile. Mrs. Higuarshi never wanted Kagome to face the truth-- that she had mistaken some other man for InuYasha; perhaps he was foreign with blond locks and blue eyes that were similar enough for Kagome to perceive them as silver hair violet eyes. It didn't really matter how it had happened. The child was obviously from human descent and the true father would never know.

It was luck, that the child looked so alike to Kagome. Mrs. Higuarshi would often laugh and say one child always looks like the father and one like the mother. She put the little girl in hats to cover her blond hair and she prayed for InuYasha's quick return to the shrine so that Kagome could heal completely. In her heart, she believed InuYasha would forgive her daughter's one night with another man. InuYasha loved her and he would understand that Kagome was lost in grief and thought she had traveled through the well and found him once again. He would comfort her. _Besides, _thought Mrs. Higuarshi, _its impossible to hate the child of someone you love. _She sadly smiled at her grandchild that slept soundly.

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You thought this was going to be cut and dry didn't you? MWHAHAHAHA. So do YOU think the child is InuYashas? Do you think he'll accept the child? Oh but wait- he doesn't even know he is a father- Maybe he won't want to assume that role… if he ever does get to Kagome: wicked laugh, stops suddenly and smiles sweetly fluttering her eyelashes: Please review!

Female Fox demon: okaasan means mother. 'kaze no kizu' is InuYasha's basic attack. In the English version I believe its called 'Wind Scar' but its more accurate translation is 'Wound of Wind' . And just because you asked in my other story… and because I think I use it here, Baka means stupid or idiot. Sorry I don't normally put in translations, but always feel free to ask: )

Inuyashalover1o1: The well is acting all weird because… Did you actually think I would tell you? Mwhahaha! I'm a tease! Tee hee. It will be explained in later chapters but lots of stuff has to happen first.

Thanks to xXlovablekdXx, dog-demon3, and Isisoftheunderground for reviewing!


	5. 4 Years later Kishirou age 6,Toshi age4

Kagome clutched the yellowed paper to her chest. The writing was scrawled in Sango's hand; it would have been comforting, if not for what it said. There was a lock of silver hair about 3 feet in length that was bound to the note in a red ribbon. The message had arrived two years ago at the bottom of the well. Kagome had kept both feet on the ladder and reached down with only one hand to retrieve it. She couldn't risk the well working and taking her away from her children. It had been InuYasha's responsibility to find his family.

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"Nah-uh! You're it!" yelled Kishirou.

"You are! I got you!" Toshi countered.

"No you didn't!"

"Yes I did! I touched your hair!"

"That doesn't count!"

"Yes it does!" shouted Toshi. Kishirou's ear ticked under the restraint of the black bandanna. He could hear the familiar sound of the old dodge that Hojo drove pulling into the driveway. He growled low in his throat and tried to ignore the unwelcome visitor.

"No it doesn't! You have to touch me _not_ my hair!"

"That's cheating!" Toshi's narrowed brown eyes grew wide with excitement when she saw Hojo approach. "Daddy!" Kishirou kicked at the dirt and walked away. He didn't have to turn to know that his sister had leapt into Hojo's arms.

"Hey, I bought you guys something. Do you want to see Kishirou?"

"No," pouted the ebony haired child. "Give whatever it is to my sister. She'll want it." Kishirou disappeared behind the house. He found his Grandmother sweeping the back steps.

"Why does Toshi have to call Hojo Dad?" Kishirou asked his Grandma. She smiled gently and her eyes softened as she patted him between his furry ears.

"That's just how she sees him."

"But he's not our father."

"I know, but he is nice enough to help out. And he cares about you kids."

"Mom's not gonna divorce our real dad, is she?" asked Kishirou. With a sigh, his grandma sat down on the stair and pulled her grandson into her lap.

"No, she's not."

"What's my father look like?"

"A little like you."

"Like what?"

"My we are full of questions today. How about milk and cookies?" Kishirou nodded and took her hand into the kitchen. He could eat at an astonishing rate. It never bothered his family but it did bother schoolteachers who often said he would choke on his food. He never did though. As soon as the cookie platter was laid before him, he shoved them into his mouth, only stopping briefly to gulp down some milk.

"wa did he ot ike?" asked Kishirou again, through a mouth full of cookies.

"Well he had the same table manners as you," teased his grandmother. Kishirou frowned and wiped the crumbs off with the back of his sleeve.

"Why doesn't mamma tell me the stories anymore?"

"Because she misses him."

"Why can't I talk to him on the phone when she does?"

"Its just been bad timing. He normally calls when you are out. And we can't call him because he doesn't have a cell phone." She tapped the end of his nose.

"Do you want more cookies?" His Grandmother asked.

"No, that's ok."

"Brownies?"

"Nope."

"More milk?"

"No, I don't want anything else," replied Kishirou. Everyone in the family reacted differently to his questions and had different ways of dealing with them. He had long ago caught on to his Grandmother's solution of filling his face with too much food to speak. "I want to see Daddy," said Kishirou sadly. Hojo chose this moment to barge into the kitchen with a giggling Toshi.

"Stop tickling me!" screeched Toshi, but Kishirou could tell she didn't mean it. She loved spending time with Hojo. He sighed dramatically at his sister's playfulness. "Stop! Stop! You are going to make my hat fall off."

"Alright, ENOUGH! Not in the house," said his Grandma sternly. She always seemed protective of the cute little hats she always dressed Toshi in. It didn't make much sense. Kishirou _had_ to wear something to cover his ears or else everyone would make fun of him. Toshi had perfect ears like their mother, so why did she always have to wear a hat?

Toshi's laughter quieted and she ran up to their Grandmother to show off the new toy Hojo had bought her. Kishirou rolled his eyes and decided to leave them, as he headed out the door Hojo caught his arm.

"I know you said you didn't want this. But I thought, maybe, just maybe, you might. How about looking at it before turning it down?" Hojo asked warmly. He wasn't a bad guy. He just wasn't dad either.

"Okay," Kishirou gave his bored reply. If he looked at it, and turned it down, Hojo would give it to his sister. He reached in the bag that Hojo had offered him and pulled out a silver dog stuffed animal, its eyes were a honey hue.

"You are always talking about a Great Dog Demon with silver hair, and I thought—" Kishirou cut him off by giving him a crushing hug.

"Thankyou!" He hopped with excitement. "I'm going to go show Mom, okay?"

"Okay," smiled Hojo and Kishirou dashed into the living room. It was the first gift he had ever accepted from Hojo. At least somebody listened when he retold the fairy tales his mother had made up about his dad. And even if his dad didn't really fight off demons, he was cool enough to. He ran up to his mother who was staring out the window.

"Mommy! Mommy! Look! Look!" But his mother didn't react to his pleas. He tugged on her dress and shouted her name louder. His mom slowly turned to him, her brown eyes shinned a little too brightly, but he couldn't smell any tears. She had the yellow parchment clutched to her chest again. He wished she would throw the dirty thing away, whatever it was it always made her look like she wanted to cry. "Look Look! Hojo gave me a silver dog- just like the one in the stories! Will you tell me a story tonight, mamma? Since I have the dog, you just gotta!"

"Not tonight, sweetie." She replied in a monotone voice and then walked away. His shoulders slumped. He watched as his mother and Hojo exchanged a few words, and then she went up stairs, most likely to bed. She slept more than Grandma did. He looked down at the floor trying to fight off his frustrated tears. In an instant, Hojo had picked him up and Kishirou looked at him surprised.

"You want to tell me about the dog demon?" he asked softly. Kishirou shook his head, not trusting his voice to speak. "You sure? I love to hear about him."

"Why doesn't anyone like the stories anymore?" asked Kishirou.

"I like them. And they are important to you, so they still live here—" Hojo pointed to Kishirou's heart. "Your mom will come around, you will see. She's just going through a lot." Kishirou stuck out his bottom lip and pouted. He had to hear that excuse everyday. What was the big deal about some stupid yellow paper? And why didn't talking to daddy cheer her up about it?

"Hey, I don't remember," said Hojo looking thoughtful, "what did the dog demon wear?"

"The G_reat _Dog-Demon," corrected Kishirou, "wore red."

"Why red?"

"It was his favorite color, of course!" said Kishirou exasperated. He placed his fists on his hips just like _everyone _knew that. Hojo smiled and continued to ask questions that lead Kishirou into retelling the stories he knew by heart. He couldn't believe just how forgetful Hojo could be!

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Thanks for the reviews! Sorry its confusing. Its probably going to become even more confusing in the next chapter, things will clear up eventually. If you have a guess as to what is in the paper Kagome has I'd like to hear it. Also, I'd like guesses on who Toshi's father is. And I'm curious as to how you guys see Hojo after this chapter. Alrighty toodles!


	6. InuYasha Arrives

InuYasha clung to the inside roof of the well house. His hair dangled in front of him tickling his nose that was twitching with a new scent. A scent that was so similar to his own caused his heart hammer and his body to lose feeling. He was going into shock, that's what Kagome had called it years ago. It was the same feeling, the same mind-numbing wake of his world turning upside down and change happening too fast. He didn't want to accept it, his conscious mind pushed it away, but eventually he accepted the scent and his thunderous heartbeat turned into a quiet thud and his stomach unknotted. 

There was another smell he hadn't noticed before, it was sickness, it was terribly strong. Was it from Kagome? It could be from anyone. The smell was so potent it masked their natural scent. It was coming closer, and as it did, so did the fate of the individual, they would die, it would be soon. The well house door slowly opened and a small girl with silver locks tip toed in. She knelt down and looked under the shelves on the wall that held the shrine's artifacts. InuYasha's eyes darted about for the object she sought, until he found a blue ball that rested in a dark corner. The girl was suffering from the illness, yet she moved like she was healthy. Perhaps, Kagome's time had medience to delay the enviable, perhaps the child could live happily for a small time. The familiar inu demon scent approached and a small clawed hand clasped the door and pushed it open wider. InuYasha held his breathe. _It just can't be! _

"You shouldn't be in here, Toshi!" said the small boy with the claws. 

"Why do you always get so upset over that?" answered the silver haired Toshi. 

"Mom said you shouldn't be in here!" answered the boy.

"I can't find my ball. Help me find it and I'll leave, ok?"

"You shouldn't be throwing your balls in here!" The boy sounded angry and defeated all at once. He entered the small well house and InuYasha took note of his long ebony locks. "It upsets, Mom. She always starts crying and stuff. I think this place had something to do with Dad, Grandma said something… kinda…"

"I think its cool. And Dad doesn't make mommy cry."

"Stop calling him that!"

"He said I could!"

"I don't care!" He snatched the lost ball and held it in his claws, "Promise you won't call Hojo that anymore and you can have the ball back."

"Give it to me! Its mine! Kishirou!" He held his sister's play toy above her head as she jumped and failed to reach her prize. "I'm telling mommy!"

"Then I'll tell her you were in here!"

"If you do, I'll tell her you weren't covering your ears!" Toshi countered. Kishirou's tiny clawed hands covered his fluffy appendages, as if checking for a hat. 

"Shit, I forgot."

"Grandma said your not allowed to say that."

"Shut-up Toshi," 

"No!" She shoved her brother and he hit the back of the well, the ball slipped out of his grasp and ricocheted off the well walls until it hit the bottom. Toshi peered over the edge of the dark well and demanded, "Go get it."

"No. That will teach you to stop coming in here." He departed leaving his sister to wail over the open well before running after her brother. 

InuYasha dropped down to the floor and pulled his legs up to his chest. _It was too dark for them to see me._ His ears drooped as he considered how many years it had been since the well had opened for him. The freshly opened wounds on his knees and fists were evidence of his repeated tries to get through the well, and for some reason today, on the 54th try, a blue light had transported him into the future.

_Damnit, that's my kid. Kagome was pregnant with my kid. My pup. My… shit. _Until a demon child reaches adolescent they smell like the father, a signature scent, so that the father knows it is his, layered on top of the pup's actual scent. Once they grow into adulthood, the parenting smell fades. He whined and rested his forehead against his knees. _Kagome replaced me with that Hojo guy. _

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InuYasha wasn't sure how long he had sat in the well house. It was dark by the time he peered out the well house door. He felt isolated, as if he was floating above his body merely watching himself move into the sacred tree. He sprang off of its aged branches and saw his nails bite into the soft wood of Kagome's bedroom window. It was open, for a brief moment it was like it had been six years ago when they were both still young teenagers experiencing their first real love.

Upon entering the room, that illusion was shattered by the scent of his pup. The moonlight gently washed over the dark blue comforter. InuYasha took two hesitate steps forward and someone sighed behind him. He then noticed that the girl with the sickness rested in a bed behind him. His ears turned towards her but once he realized she was sound asleep, he continued to approach his son's bed. His two black inu ears stuck out from under the blanket. The half demon reached his clawed fingertips out to softly stoke his son's fluffy appendages. He tilted his head to the side as he tried to accept this new responsibility. The reality of the situation finally hit him and he dropped to his knees, and rested his elbows against the bed, to make a nest to hide his face. 

"I'll never let anyone hurt you. I won't let what happened to me happen to you. I won't. I'll protect you, always." 

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Small update I know, but better than nothing! Told you I wasn't dead! HA! Anyway, I'll try to update both stories soon (yes yes the coming of age one too, NO I haven't abandoned either story, just trying to get a college degree and help out at a dog rescue too) 


	7. Kishirou and InuYasha Meet

InYasha had smelled Kagome's scent in the children's room the first night he had entered. It was light, not heavy, like it had been when she had slept there. Yet, he could still tell she was healthy. He wanted some idea of what he was walking into before he confronted anyone with his return. He was shocked by the children and knew the situation was not the same, as he remembered it, so many years ago.

InuYasha sat on top of the roof for three days. Yet, he learned very little about the current situation of the shrine because there was little activity outside the house. The children left in the mornings probably for that school thing. In the afternoons, the kids would come home and play outside, but only for an hour or two, before returning indoors. He hadn't re-entered the house again for fear of being caught.

An adult's footsteps on the shrine stairs drew InuYasha attention.

"Daddy! Daddy!" called Toshi. The footsteps paused. Smaller footsteps ran up the stairs. He saw the Toshi's form being held up in the air and spun around.

"How are you doing, Miss. Toshi?" asked a man's voice.

"Just fine! How was work?"

"Pretty good today," replied the man.

"Did you bring me anything?" asked Toshi exuberantly. He gave a hearty laugh.

"I can't bring you something _every_ time I visit. Hey, where's your brother?"

"Kishirou was walking too slow. I told him to hurry up because you were coming over today!"

"Well maybe we should wait for him."

"He knows the way home, he's just taking foooorever. Come on, I want to go say 'Hi' to Grandma. He'll catch up."

"Alright, alright," agreed the man. As the human ascended the stairs and came into view, InuYasha recognized Hojo immediately. Hojo was taller, slightly more broad shouldered, but still painfully skinny. He wore a business suit with the coat causally thrown over one shoulder. He was holding Toshi's hand, as she bounded up the stairs ahead of him. InuYasha's stomach twisted at the sight of them together. Kagome's mother opened the door to greet them and they all went inside.

InuYasha sighed with a heavy heart. Hojo had a way in while he still felt locked out. The Hanyou jumped off the roof. _I better make sure Kishirou_ _is alright. _He followed Toshi's scent trail, as he assumed Kishirou would take the same path home as Toshi. InuYasha mostly stayed off the ground and therefore out of the visible view of humans. He kept to the trees and the roof tops. His ears perked at the sound of Kishirou's voice. He strained to hear what was being said over the rush of the cars and other urban noises.

"Get off me!" Kishirou's shouted. The Hanyou paled and ran faster. "Stop it! Give me my damn hat back!" InuYasha leaped from a building to a near by tree. Three older boys tossed Kishirou's red hat to each other and shoved Kishirou when he tried to snatch it back.

"Why don't you just take it? I'm trying to give it back to you," taunted one of the boys, as they held it out of reach. InuYasha dropped from the branches but none of the boys noticed. He had to be calm in this situation. These were frail human boys that were no match for his strength or claws. And he had to be certain, he didn't scare Kishirou the very first time, he saw him. InuYasha clawed hand grasped the boy's wrist and took the hat from him.

"Hey! Let him go!" one of his companions shouted.

"Gladly," replied InuYasha. The Hanyou tossed the boy at his friends and they all fell to the concrete. InuYasha's ear ticked at the sound of small footsteps running away. He stood over the three boys and glared down at them. "Don't bother him OR anyone else again, unless…." He cracked his knuckles and the three clamored away. InuYasha turned around to find Kishirou gone. His scent trail hung in the air towards the shrine. InuYasha looked down at the red hat in his hand and then ran after the small child.

Kishirou started to cry as InuYasha closed his steps. InuYasha grasped the child's shirt and he pulled him behind a building; where prying human eyes were less likely to see. The hanyou knelt down to Kishirou's level and placed his clawed hands gently on his shoulders.

"Hey settle down. You're alright now," hushed InuYasha.

"I don't want to die," wailed the small one, wiping away his tears with his fists and bellowing as loud as his lungs would allow.

"Hey, I said you are alright. Those weak humans couldn't kill you anyway. And look I got your hat back." InuYasha held it before the child. Kishirou sniffled and then removed one hand to look at his hat.

"I _hate_ that hat."

"Then why are you crying?" Kishirou took his other small fist away from his face and grasped on to the rip of his red baseball hat with both hands. His watery eyes still let tears fall. His face had turned a blotchy red and his nose was running.

"Aren't you a demon?" asked Kishirou staring at his baseball cap. InuYasha crinkled his nose as the question irked him slightly.

"A hanyou," he answered. Kishirou gave a gasp. His blue eyes met InuYasha's honey gold ones. And his ears perked up under the black bandanna.

"Like me?" asked the child pointing at his chest, the sparkle of excitement in his eyes. InuYasha worked his jaw.

" I'd say your more human than half if I had to guess." Kishirou tilted his head to the side, his excitement dulled with confusion. His eyes slowly turned from thoughtful to looking up at InuYasha's ears.

"You- You have ears like me!" Kishirou's little claws worked to undo the bandanna around his head. The child flexed and twitched his tiny ears about then stood them forward in attention. "See!" said the child pointing at his black fuzzy ears. "Are you part dog demon? I'm part dog demon!"

"Yeah…"

"I've never met another dog demon before! Have you?" asked Kishirou.

"Yes," InuYasha answered

"I mean before me?"

"Yeah, I have."

"What were they like?"

"Ah-"

"My dad was a dog demon! Was your dad a dog demon?" Kishirou inquired. InuYasha tilted his head in much the same fashion as the child had earlier-_ Your father a Youkai? What has Kagome been telling you?_

"Uh-huh," replied InuYasha.

"Was that really cool?"

"Umm…"

"I don't know my Dad." Kishirou sat down in a huff. "He's always gone and stuff. And Mom is always freaking out over my ears. I like my ears. Hey where's _your_ hat?"

"Uh…"

"You shouldn't lose your hat! That's what Mom is always telling me. She said people will come after you, if you don't have your hat on. Bad people, and full Youkai too. Here, take my bandanna. I got lots of them. I only got one hat though. I always wear both outside just incase something happens- like those stupid jerks back there." InuYasha mumbled an incoherent response and fingered the bandana his son handed him. "Don't forget to cover your dog ears, ok?"said Kishirou.

"Ok, I guess," replied InuYasha ."Hey, you should probably be getting home before your mom gets worried." He was feeling light headed with all the talk about Kagome and reality coming at him just a little too fast. His son didn't recognize him as his father, and then again why should he? _But didn't Kagome take pictures and stuff…?_

"Mom's not going to be worried."

"What are you talking about? Of course she will." _ The one thing Kagome is good at is worrying. Always pestering about where I had been, if I had been hurt- she would be the same way with Kishirou. _

"Nope, not my mom. All my mom does is sit with that stupid paper. She just… just…" His blue eyes became watery and then he changed his tone of voice, visibly pushing all his emotions down. "Well anyway, its fine. Mom doesn't care if I come home later than normal. She knows I don't like Hojo."

"Why… Why don't you like Hojo?"

"Cuz, he's not _my_ Dad. I don't care what Toshi says. Toshi's my sister. She's always going on and on about Hojo. Ever since he took her to that parent day thingy at school. But you know my real Dad is going to come back," Kishirou paused and then continued on softer, "Mom always said that, 'Dad's going to come back.' She doesn't say it so much anymore. But she use to _all_ the time and I still believe he's going to. You know he's a Great Dog Demon. Mom use to tell me stories about him all the time. I try to remember them all, but it's hard. Now, she won't tell them anymore, even though I keep asking." His eyes became watery again and InuYasha panicked. "Its not fair!" Kishirou whined.

"Hey, now, don't get all upset. I'm sure your Dad's gonna come back."

"Yeah?" asked Kishirou hopefully.

"Yeah, I'm sure of it. Dog demons keep their word."

"kay" Kishirou said quietly and put his hat back on. "The sun's going down."

"I'll walk you home, come on."

"You gotta put your bandanna on first."

"Oh, right." InuYasha tied the knot behind his ears and looked over at his son in the red baseball hat. _This is what being in the modern era means for him. Hiding. At least his ears could be free in my time. But there are bullies on both sides. _ He sighed and reached his clawed hand down for the smaller clawed hand. For the most part, he let Kishirou lead him, because Kishirou knew the way of the streets, instead of the roof tops. Kishirou dragged InuYasha along. At the bottom of the shrine stairs InuYasha stopped. _I probably shouldn't just walk up to Kagome with our son in hand. _ He knotted his black eyebrows and looked down at Kishirou's small face.

"You can come up to the shrine if you want. You can meet Grandma. I dunno if Mom is up to visitors today, so she may stay in her bedroom. Hojo might still be there but we can just ignore him."

"Whelp, this is as far as I go today."

"But pleeeeease," begged Kishirou. InuYasha scratched the back of his head in consideration. He really did want to see Kagome, but didn't think it was the best idea right now. He knelt down to Kishirou's level.

"I really can't, not today anyway."

"Later then? You're the first Hanyou I've ever met!"

"Maybe, I dunno."

"Am I ever going to see you again?" asked Kishirou. InuYasha heart skipped a beat, _not_ seeing his son again was not an option.

"Yes, you will."

"When?"

"I'm not sure."

"When?!"

"Soon. Hey, don't mention this to your Grandma or anyone else ok?"

"Why? Mom says if someone says not to tell her about someone, then they are up to no good."

"That's not true. At least not for me."

"You know I thought you were a Youkai that was going to kill me at first."

"Well I'm not."

"Then why can't I tell my family I met another dog demon?"

"Because… because…" stumbled Inuyasha looking down at the ground, he didn't want to really lie. He suddenly meet Kishirou's blue eyes triumphantly, " it has to be a secret between us. We can't have everyone we meet know we are part dog demons. It has to be a secret, right?"

"But my family knows I'm a dog demon, so why not you too?" asked Kishirou doubtfully.

"Listen kid. The world is a lot crueler than you may know. It's just best as few people know we are actually part dog demon as possible. It's got a be a secret between dog demons."

"Well could I at least tell them I met a new friend?"

"I dunno, I think they will figure me out. If we make this just between us, I'll meet you after school tomorrow too."

"Promise?"

"Dog demon promise," said InuYasha.

"Ok! Bye then!" Kishirou waved and jogged up the shrine stairs. InuYasha's head was pounding. The kid had expectations. A lot of expectations, he hoped he could meet them. And some of the things the kid said about Kagome didn't make sense, but he could talk to him about it tomorrow. For now, he had to wait for dark before he could hop back up on Kagome's roof to keep an eye on things.

* * *

InuYasha stood on top of the school building waiting for the children to leave. As the herd of kids left he spotted Kishirou and Toshi. He wasn't quite sure he wanted Toshi to know about him yet. She might run off and tell Hojo and that wouldn't be good. The two children stopped and over all the chatter of the exiting school children, InuYasha couldn't hear what was being said. It looked like they were arguing though. Toshi had the same expression that Kagome had when she was fuming. She tapped her foot a few times and then stalked off and left Kishirou behind. InuYasha waited till all the children left and it was only Kishirou sitting on the school steps looking around expectantly. InuYasha dropped from the rooftop and walked up behind him. He tapped him lightly on the shoulder with a claw.

"Oh hey! You did come!" Kishirou hugged his legs and InuYasha returned the hug as best he could, by patting the kid on the back.

"Hey. I told you I would."

"I know but it was getting late. I told Toshi I was going to meet with one of the teachers after school" Kishirou said and released his hold on him. "You wanna walk me home?"

"Sure."

Kishirou led the way again by holding InuYasha's hand. When it came to crossing a street, InuYasha bent down, and said "Kid, climb on my back."

"Oh a piggy back ride! Yay!" exclaimed Kishirou and he held on firmly. InuYasha jumped across the street in a single bound. Kishirou screeched in his ear. InuYasha rubbed his furry appendage hidden under the black bandanna. "Wow, that was so fast! That was totally cool! Can we do it again? Again?"

"Not now. Can't hear right anymore."

"It was just so fast! I couldn't help, but scream! But it was fun! I'll do better next time! Come on!"

"Later. Hey kid, is your mom, you know, mad at your dad?"

"Ah, I don't think so," replied Kishirou. His voice sounded defeated, like a single question had taken all the fun out of the day.

"You think she'd be happy if your Dad came back?"

"Yeah, but I don't know how happy Toshi would be," replied Kishirou. InuYasha mused on this, allowing a few silent moments to pass between them.

"So Hojo, doesn't live there?" asked the Hanyou.

"No, I mean, Mom and him aren't actually together or anything. Toshi just calls him Daddy."

"Oh," replied InuYasha. He was relieved that Hojo did not live at the shrine. At least one more mystery was unraveled.

"Do you ever think about your dad?" Kishirou asked.

"Sometimes."

"You guys still talk and stuff?"

"Can't, he's dead."

"Oh, that sucks. What about your mom? She's human like my mom right?" inquired Kishirou.

"She's dead too, but yeah, she was human." At the shrine stairs InuYasha put Kishirou down and asked, "Tomorrow?"

"I can't, if I come home late three days in a row, Grandma will know something is up."

"Alright, when then?"

"I dunno, in a few days I guess, if I don't get in much trouble today."

"Ok, hurry home." InuYasha waved to him. Halfway up the stairs the little boy turned around to look for his friend.

"Hey, I forgot to ask your name again!" but he was already gone. Kishirou cursed and trotted up the stairs.

* * *

Days passed as InuYasha struggled to accept all the life changes. His emotions surged from happy to distraught. On a particularly chilly evening when autumn's scent was crisp, InuYasha returned to the well house. He grasped a hold of the well's edge and stared down into the depts. _Does this damn thing still work? _

"Don't!" screamed a woman. Her hands clasped in front of him. Her mighty pull caused him to stumble and almost topple backwards.

"Kagome?" InuYasha asked in disbelief

"You can't leave! The children need you! You can't just walk away from them!" replied the woman. Her voice was much older than Kagome's

"Mrs. Higuarshi?" he couldn't keep the disappointment from the words. He finally inhaled confirming it was indeed Kagome's mother. His hopes shattered. She released him and he turned to face her. "I… I wasn't going to leave. I was just looking." He turned away from her, leaning his elbows on lip of the well and staring down.

"Kagome has jumped many times down the well trying to go to you," said Mrs. Higuarshi. " It happened so often that I stopped counting. I would come home and she would be battered and bruised on the bottom, crying her little eyes out for you." InuYasha relief washed over him as he took a cautious breath in. Everything had been so different since he arrived. He had not been sure Kagome still wanted him.

"I did it too," replied InuYasha quietly.

"How'd you get through?" she asked.

"I just don't know. I don't know that I can get back. I may be stuck here forever," said InuYasha, but quickly added, "Not that here's bad. I mean…"

"It's alright. Come into the kitchen, let's talk. I have to catch you up on a lot."

"I know about Kishirou."

"There's a lot more to talk about that Kishirou."

"Won't Kagome be inside?" he asked sheepishly.

"Yes, but don't worry she won't come down from her room. She also won't sense that you are here. She just doesn't do much of anything anymore. Come inside, we'll talk, about Kagome and everything."

Mrs. Higuarshi stopped at the well house door. She was silhouetted by the outside light. She paused just to make certain he would follow, which he did. He entered through the kitchen's back door just like when he and Kagome had been younger.

Mrs. Higuarshi cooking was still fabulous, possibly even better. He hadn't ate in days. When he did eat, it was merely to survive. He didn't have money and there were not any animals to hunt in the city. He had consumed things he had found in the trash and rodents that were too slow. He didn't need much food if he conserved his strength. He was happy to quickly shove chicken and noodles into his mouth.

"When Kagome came home she was pregnant with Kishirou, as I am sure you have already guessed. She was horribly upset about you not knowing about your son. She slammed her body into that well over and over. She cried habitually, but tried to hide it from Kishirou. Even so, Kishirou knew how upset she was. I tried to protect him, but failed. It was hard for him." Mrs. Higuarshi sighed looking down at the table.

"Kagome tried hard to be a good mother, but she was a mother in grief and she never really let you go- which was the real problem. She couldn't let go of you to be a mother. When I was a single mother, I accepted my husband's absence because he had died. It was different for Kagome because you were alive, somewhere she couldn't get to."

"Toshi?" InuYasha asked.

"Toshi is Kishirou's sister."

"Yes, but whose the father?"

"You mustn't be mad InuYasha. I know how your temper can be."

"I'm not sure I have any temper left, I'm so exhausted from all this." He put his chopsticks down and lowered his head. He ran his fingers through his hair. _Can I really take hearing that she's not mine, even though I can tell by her scent?_

"Oh InuYasha. Toshi is a good girl. You would be a good father to her. She's wanted one so badly. Kagome went out of her mind with grief. She didn't know what she was doing. She thought it _was_ you."

"How could she have thought someone else was me?!" He slammed his fist into the table.

"InuYasha, I know you are going to need some time to accept everything that has happened. But you just can't take this out on Kagome. I had to lock her in her room at one point because she was injuring herself so badly trying to get through to you-"

InuYasha stood and started pacing. He couldn't stand the though of Kagome hurting her self, and for what, for him. _Fuck. _He couldn't scream or take it out on anything, because Kagome would hear him. He couldn't abandon them either to work out the anger, because he didn't want to leave them unprotected. And even more so, he wasn't sure he had the energy for it. He stopped his furious pacing. He placed his hands on the table and stared over at the older woman.

"How is Kagome now?"

"She's worse I'm afraid. She never goes outside even to the well house. She hardly ever leaves her bedroom. She just sits. She'll check on the children sometimes at night, but I have to plead with her to shower, to get dressed, to eat, she's just given up. She's wasting away."

"I should go to her," InuYasha made it through the kitchen door before Mrs. Higuarshi caught a sleeve and pulled him back. "Why stop me? If she's that bad…" He made an effort to leave again but she pulled him back once more.

"We have to have a plan."

"A plan?" InuYasha's voice sounded shaky even to himself.

"A strategy. We have more than Kagome at stake here. There are children to consider. They need a father, but they also need their mother. They need something stable. They haven't had stable. I've tried, I really have, but I'm just Grandma, not mom. If you go up there and march right back into Kagome's life, I just don't know how she will take it. And if she gets upset, she will get the children upset."

"Then let's just tell the kids. They can just, just, stay with someone till we work it out."_ Maybe Sango, but the stupid well… maybe maybe Souta, how old is he now?_

"Tell the kids what? That you are their father? Why didn't you come for them sooner?"

"Because of the fucking well!"

"They don't know about the well."

"What?! Where the hell do they think I was?" whispered InuYasha angrily and japed a thumb at his chest for emphasis.

"Kami, I don't know. We have told them so many things."

"What?"

"You have to realize they go to school. They have to have a good story about where their father is. A _normal_ story, so kids leave them alone about it. Kishirou especially. If anyone finds out he is a part dog demon, they could take him away and-"

"I know." InuYasha slumped into a kitchen chair. _Hiding is what my pup has to do in this world. Its worse than my time, worse. "_What do you think you told him?"

"That you were working."

"Working?!"

"Far away, never anywhere specific." Mrs. Higuarshi replied. InuYasha growled in irritation. There was too much to undo, to put right.

"What's your idea then, for a plan?"

"Kagome has to tell the children you are their father. They won't believe it from anyone else."

"Ok, and Kagome?"

"She is going to need time to accept this. Time away from the children, just in case she gets hysterical. If she cries too much or is too iritic, the kids won't trust you. They need someone they can trust, that's a parent. They have a week long break from school coming up. I can ask Souta to take them, he's done it before. And if she still needs time they could go to Hojo's house for a month because he lives within the right school district."

"Hojo?" InuYasha fumed.

"Hojo he's a good man. He doesn't want Kagome like that anymore. He just wants to help because he sees how distressed the children have been. We'll need a place for the kids to go, where they can still attend school, and I can trust Hojo to take good care of them. That way Kagome and you can raise the kids together once they get back. Those poor children can't take any more of the screaming and crying and-"

"Alright," InuYasha conceded. Hojo must be the other man so Toshi was Hojo's anyway. And the other was Hojo's child's brother, Hojo would watch both of them like a parent. They would be safe, that's what mattered, that and Kagome. "The break is next week?"

"No, unfortunately about two months away."

"Then why not just send the kids to Hojo now and tell Kagome?" asked InuYasha. Mrs. Higuarshi frowned and sat down in a Kitchen chair.

"Kagome won't like that we 'took' her kids away. She won't understand why they are with Hojo. She'll become hysterical and she won't be able to recognize you in that state of mind. She's just not herself, right now. She can't be reasoned with.

She will understand them having a break and visiting Souta. She knows the fall break is coming up. Hopefully it will only take a week for her to accept that you have really come back, but if worse comes to worse, we will send the children to Hojo. Kagome has difficulty remembering what day it is, and so she'll just assume they are still with Souta.. That way she will never feel as though the children were taken away from her. She's delicate right now, InuYasha, you have to be gentle with her."

"Keh," he responded. His honey eyes were clouded with thought. "I'll come back then," he said standing.

"You won't go down the well?"

"Hell no! I've been trying to get back seven years! You think I'd just risk jumping down that well and not being able to come back? When I have ki… kagome and.. and.. well you know!" InuYasha fumed and stomped outside.

"Come back for breakfast tomorrow! Oh, if you want dinner maybe we can work something out when the kids aren't around!"

"Don't worry about it." InuYasha called back and leaped upon the roof. The children came home at their usual time, hand in hand, and went into the house. It was quiet for most of the day. InuYasha laid on his back and stared at the clouds. By nightfall, he had decided to sneak into Kagome's room. The main problem being he didn't know which one was now her bedroom.


	8. The Old Well House

An hour after the last light switched off at the Higuarshi home, InuYasha crept into the children's room through the window. It felt the most natural way to enter the house, since it was _Kagome's_ old room. He checked briefly on the kids who were both fast asleep and then quietly exited their room. He crawled on his hands and knees sniffing the floor. At each bedroom door he would stop and inhale, scenting the air that laid past the wooden barrier. The first was strong with Kagome's mother's perfume.

The second room was clearly Kagome's. It was Souta's old room. He attempted to peer in through the keyhole, which was too small for such a purpose, and then through the bottom of the door, which he could only see the bed's legs. He hesitated, doubting himself, doubting that he should be here, before he turned the knob slowly and allowed the door to open a few inches on its own. He pressed himself against the wall hoping not to be seen. As her scent wafted outwards, his heart hammered. _Kami, its been too long, too long. _ He felt a familiar tightening of his loins and waited for his heart to settle. There was no movement from within the room; he crawled on his belly towards the bed and emerged to peer over the mattress with his two honey colored eyes. As he beheld her shadowed form, he rose higher to better see her in the darkened light. She lay on her side turned away from him.

"Ka-go-me," his voice sounded strange. His clawed fingertips reached out to her exposed arm. His fingers hovered above her skin and he listened to her breathing, noticing the rise and fall of the blankets. _Just touch her a little, just to know she's here, that I'm here. Shouldn't though, maybe just the tip of my fingers just… _A garbled sound pushed its way passed his lips and he fell to his knees, threading his fingers through his silver hair, he held his head above her soft mattress and silently wept at long last. Each tear that tumbled down his nose he feared would wake her, and yet he hoped it would as well. Hoped against all odds that she would love him again, let him raise the children with her, and hoped she would just be the Kagome he remembered.

He laid his forehead down on the bed, the bed his love slept upon, and this only made him weep more. "Ka-go-me," he whispered, "I need you." He clutched the bed sheet and listened to his uneasy breathing. He wanted to nuzzle against her arm, to fall into her embrace once more, just touch her. _I have to leave. _He wiped off his wet cheeks with the back of his sleeve and then made a rash decision. He leaned over her with the intent of placing a feather light kiss on her cheek and then departing. Yet he did this slowly and carefully so that his breath fanned out against her check and her eyelashes fluttered before he kissed her. When his lips touched her skin, she awoke with a shout. InuYasha dashed out the door.

* * *

Kagome screaming "BURGLAR" interrupted Mrs. Higuarshi first good sleep in years. _Burglar? Burglar! With InuYasha on the look out? How is that possible? _She stumbled out of bed and opened her door. Kagome was rushing down the steps in hot pursuit. _I need to check on the kids!_ As Mrs. Higuarshi turned towards the children's room but her eye noticed red cloth beneath the bathroom door. _What could that be? Oh!_ She quickly dashed over to the bathroom and looked behind the door. Sure enough, InuYasha was hiding. She grabbed his elbow and pulled him out and into Kagome's room.

Slightly closing the door, she called out to her daughter, "I think I heard something in the kitchen!" She then entered the room and shut the door. She was fully prepared to lecture InuYasha, but when she flicked on the light, she could no longer. His face was the blotchy red that Kishirou's became after a good cry. "Oh InuYasha," she squeezed his shoulder in reassurance. Her daughter's loud search was coming closer to the stairs. She hurriedly went to the window and opened it. "Out," she said simply. InuYasha began to climb out the window but Mrs. Higuarshi caught his sleeve. "Wait! Why do you have that? Give it here." She took a hold of the pillow he clutched in both hands, but he did not let go.

"It smells like her," his voice was terribly broken up.

"Not right now, ok? You can have it later, but absolutely not right now." He nodded and released the pillow, looking both disappointed and ashamed. In one smooth leap, he was gone.

went to Kagome's bed and began straightening it. In a few short moments Kagome appeared.

"I couldn't find anything out of order dear," said Mrs. Higuarshi

"He didn't take anything?"

"No, I don't see anything taken. Are you sure you saw someone?" inquired Mrs. Higuarshi. Kagome raised her hand her cheek.

"I think he was breathing on me."

"Maybe you just dreamed it. Come on, back to bed." Mrs. Higuarshi tucked her daughter into bed and then went to check on the children before finally finding rest again.

* * *

Mrs. Higuarshi had been true to her word. She had handed him Kagome's empty pillow case in the back yard, while trying to convince him to come inside and eat. He had said nothing the entire time only shook his head and leapt away. His senses were dimming, in a few days he would be a defenseless human. His shoulder had begun to ache, the lingering pain of the spider bite from years ago, only surfaced when his change was close. He wondered if Kishirou change was soon. He hoped it was at a different time than his own change. He sighed, and breathed in Kagome's scent from the pillow case. He was tired of crying. With the change in only three days, his emotions were running high.

* * *

The night of the change, InuYasha hid himself within the wellhouse. He didn't want to risk being human and not being able to jump off the roof to help Kagome or the children. He had little worry of being detected because the children were not allowed inside the well house and Kagome rarely left the house. Most human nights he stayed awake, but this night was different. His emotional exhaustion overwhelmed him and his new found body was quickly tired. Sleep was an escape from his thoughts and his crushing loneliness.

The clang of a rusty pail rolling across the wood floor startled InuYasha awake. He was instantly alert with his hand on his sword. Shadows were moving in the well house. He stilled his breathing. It wasn't shadows, but the long legs of a demon spider emerging from the well. _It must be still open, but how did the spider get through?_

InuYasha swiftly slammed the untransformed sword onto one of the slender black legs, but it did not cut. The spider pulled his hairy arm away from the hanyou and scurried out of the well. The demon was moving forward with intention now. InuYasha's slams of the sword were futile. The Hanyou was being pushed out of the well house. He stumbled backwards and then a dangerous spider arm pressed him down to the ground. The lights were still off at the shrine.

The spider bit through the fabric of the fire rat robe into the old wound. The Hanyou screamed when the sting of the venom entered his skin. InuYasha tore through the weak underbelly of the spider with the Tessaiga's tip. Spider parts fell around him, and the youkai gave a dying scream. He managed to crawl out from under the beast, drag it into the well house, and drop it into the dark cavern of the well. There was little he could do about the blood, but he did try. He covered most of it with dirt but it still stunk heavily of the spider. By the end of his task it was but 4 hours till dawn.

The venom had blurred his vision. Moving had spread the poison quicker through his body. He didn't know why he was still alive in his human form with a demon spider bite. It reminded him so much of before that he almost called out to Kagome, but stopped because he would wake the children. His legs were heavy as he walked to the kitchen door; he knew it would be open.

InuYasha's legs failed him when he reached the small kitchen island. He rested with his back against it. His breathing slowed as his adrenal left him entirely. His chin fell against his chest. He moved his hand from his injured shoulder to survey the damage. His blood covered the palm of his hand but it was relatively minor blood lost. The venom was a much greater worry. The corners of his lips twitched upwards. _If I die here, I die protecting Kagome and our children. Only a few weeks ago I thought I would never see her again. And I didn't know…_his thoughts faded. His vision went completely black. His heartbeat sounded like a death march in his ears. When the first rays of light flooded into the kitchen, his change took place, and his furry silver appendages drooped.

Kishirou was always the first to wake in the Higuarshi household. He raced into Grandma's room first, and jumped on the elder woman under the blankets.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! It's time to eat! Eat! Eat!" He shook his grandma's shoulder for emphasis. She made her usual moans and groans of waking. He ran out and down the stairs to set the table for breakfast.

He rounded the corner in the kitchen and noticed the red spill of cherry juice on the floor. When the child bent down to clean the floor, he came face to face with the silver haired Hanyou. He screamed but quickly covered his mouth to silence it.

"Hey! Hey!" Kishirou whispered loudly and shook the elder Hanyou's shoulder. His silver head bopped lightly and stilled. Kishirou stared at the half dog demon as he tried to figure out why he didn't talk to him. The child lifted his hand from the floor and realized he had stuck it in the cherry juice. He licked his fingers and stuck out his tongue at the unexpected taste.

"Blood!" Kishirou gasped when he recognized the taste. He grasped the firerat ropes and shook the older Hanyou as hard as he could. Tears sprung forth from his eyes. The hanyou's body was heavy. "Wake up! Wake up!" He curled up into a small ball onto his lap, never letting go of the firerat robes. "You have to wake up. You are the only other dog demon I know and we just met and I don't even know your name." The strong arm of the elder Hanyou wrapped around Kishirou's sobbing form and pulled him close.

"Keh, I'm fine," his rough voice responded to the little one's pleas.

"What happened? Why are you here? How did you get inside? What-" The child's questions were interrupted by the adult's 'shh'. Kishirou tried to quiet his tears and waited for the adult to speak.

"Need your help. Outside." Kishirou nodded bravely and stood. The silver haired half-demon used a fisted hand to help him stand. He used the kitchen island, counters and then the doorframe to assist him walking outside. "Do you smell anything?" Kishirou shook his head 'no'.

"Good," replied the silver haired man.

"InuYasha!" screamed. The Hanyou looked down at Kishirou with a paler face.

"You know Grandma already?" asked Kishirou.

"How badly are you hurt? What happened? Come back into the house," said Mrs. Higuarshi.

"No," replied InuYasha. "I have to leave." InuYasha looked at Kishirou confused.

"You will come back? Are you sure you are ok?" asked Kishirou.

"Course, I will be. I promise you will see me again."

00000000000

InuYasha hid himself in the well house. It would take at least a day, perhaps two before his Youkai blood flushed the venom completely from his system. He couldn't move without pain and had struggled to walk the short distance to the well house. Jumping to the roof was impossible.

Shortly after Mrs. Higuarshi sent the children to school, she came to find InuYasha. She opened the well house door with a plate of steaming breakfast.

"If you won't come inside at least take this."

"keh," replied InuYasha with a shoulder shrug but reached out to take the plate and chopsticks from her.

"What happened?"

"Youkai. I stopped it," said InuYasha. It hurt to breathe. It hurt worse to talk. He didn't want to have a long conversation about the baka spider. He had other things he wanted to know, things that were worth the pain of speaking, "Why doesn't Kishirou know his father's name?" asked InuYasha.

"Why does Kishirou seem to know you?" countered Mrs. Higuarshi. For a moment they shared a narrowed eyed glare towards the other. "I thought we agreed that you wouldn't introduce yourself to the children. That Kagome would be the one to do it."

"It happened before I had talked to you. He was getting picked on by some older kids. I protected him. We talked, but I didn't tell him anything. I didn't even tell him my name in case he would figure it out that way," said InuYasha. Mrs. Higuarshi uncrossed her arms and sighed.

"You are 'Daddy'. When Kagome told the stories about the Feudal Era she called you the 'Great Dog Demon'. Its not that we kept your real name from him. It's just how Kagome is 'Mommy' instead of Kagome. Kishirou only realized she had another name about two years ago, I guess. I don't really talk about you to the kids, because Kagome can go into hysterics for weeks, by only hearing your name. And most of the time Kishirou just wants to hear the 'fairy tales' about his Dad. Kagome stopped telling those about three years ago- about a year after Toshi was born."

"Why didn't he recognize me?"

"What do you mean?"

"There were pictures. Kagome took pictures of all of us in my time."

"I didn't know about them. I don't know why Kagme didn't show them to Kishirou before Toshi was born. Maybe because he was so little. I just don't know. After Toshi was born… she didn't even take care of herself anymore. She barely interacts with the children. The children have been missing out on a lot of things that only a mother can provide. I'm sorry, InuYasha."

was pretty sure InuYasha 'keh' in response but it was a shallow quiet sound. "I have to go take care of Kagome. Make sure she eats. You better too. Are you sure you will be ok?" At his nod, she left him in the darkness of the well house.

0000000000

Toshi arrived at the shrine after school with her brother. He ran to go into the house to see Grandma and refused to come out and play with her. She bored of trying to persuade him with 'please' said as fast as possible. She kicked around her green ball in the yard. Her favorite blue one had been lost to the bottom of the well. She hadn't dared to tell her mother, dad or grandmother that it was missing. If they found it, she would be in big trouble for being in well house. She had cried herself to sleep over losing it for a week; not that her baka brother had noticed or cared. She gave a frustrated kick to the green ball, it flew high in the air, bounced off the shrine and rolled into the partly opened well house door.

"Oh no," Toshi stomped her foot with anger. "If I lose this ball, I'll only have the ugly white one left." She approached the well house. The stench of old blood filled her nose and there was another scent which she was unfamiliar. She covered her nose with the sleeve of her shirt. "Gross." Anytime she ever complained about a smell her Grandmother would tell her it would go away in a few days, and it did lessen, but it was there for months. It never bothered anyone else though. Kishirou made fun of her for having a 'weak stomach'.

She pushed on the well house door and stepped inside hesitantly. It smelled strongly of Kishirou, yet different more musky. _He said he never goes in here, but it reeks of him! Liar! _She had greater confidence now that she wasn't the only one breaking the rule. She began to crawl around on the floor to see if it rolled under something. Toshi heard a broom fall in the far corner of the well house. She looked up and found a golden eyed Youkai staring back at her. She screamed, fell over on to her butt and scooted away.

"Stop," he hissed.

"YOUKAI! OKAASAN HELP!" Toshi screamed and ran out of the well house. The shadow of the youkai loomed over her but Toshi was quick. She made it into the house before his claws could reach her skin. She bounded up the stairs screaming for her mother and running into her bedroom. A startled Kagome opened her arms to her screaming daughter.

"What is it?" Kagome asked.

"Youkai! Youkai! In the well house!" replied Toshi. Kagome shook her daughter roughly and Toshi had to cling to her flowered hat so it wouldn't fall off.

"You are NOT allowed in the well house, Toshi!" said Kagome sternly. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as her mother continued to shake her.

"He came out of the well house! I-I didn't go in!" cried the little girl. Kagome took her by the arm and dragged the child down the stairs.

"Okaasan, he smells like Kishirou," cried Toshi as she tried not to loose her footing on the stairs. "That's why I didn't notice him at first."

Kagome stopped at the bottom of the stairs and bent down to Toshi's level, "What else did you smell?"

"I don't know."

"Try," Kagome shook her daughter again.

"Sorta like… sorta like… a spider, a really big one."

"Don't go outside," Kagome instructed and left her daughter with tears streaming down her face.


	9. Kagome and InuYasha Meet

Mrs. Higuarishi had bolted out the door when she heard Toshi's cries for help. She suspected that Toshi had discovered InuYasha's hiding place. Kishirou followed her out but she had told him to delay his mother's arrival. He did so without question, because it had been asked of him many times before, for various reasons.

Mrs. Higuarishi found InuYasha standing in the middle of their back yard, unsure of what to do next. She ran up to him and placed InuYasha's arm over her shoulders and tried to usher him toward the shrine stairs.

"I'll call Souta. He'll pick you up. You can stay with him for a few days, until Kagome has forgotten this," said Mrs. Higuarishi.

"You said Souta wasn't in the right 'school district'... what does that mean?"

"He lives outside of the city."

"I can't leave the children unprotected." InuYasha argued, but allowed her to help him away from the shrine.

"Get away from him, Okaasan," Kagome warned them as she approached them from behind, "That's not InuYasha. That's Naraku in disguise." The older lady peered over her shoulder and saw Kagome holding her bow with a notched arrow.

"Keep walking," Mrs. Higuarishi whispered to the hanyou. They continued forward, but Kagome let loose her arrow. It pierced InuYasha's shoulder. The sizzle and crack of her purifying powers hissed in his furry ears. He screamed, fell to his knees, and then all at once the purifying pain stopped.

"Kagome!" InuYasha called to her. He held the palm of his clawed hand out to her in a signal to stop. Blood rolled down his palm to drip upon the grass. It was the hand he had been using to put pressure on the spider wound. "Please stop!"

"You can't have my children!" Kagome notched another arrow. Toshi ran out of the house towards her mother, but her Grandmother caught her and pulled her away.

"Kagome stop this right now!" Mrs. Higuarishi screamed.

"He's Naraku," Kagome replied with a stone hard voice. She let another arrow fly at InuYasha. Mrs. Higuarishi hugged Toshi tight so she wouldn't see. InuYasha couldn't dodge the projectile fast enough and took it in the muscle of his chest. The purifying power caused a rush of agony, he threw his head back and howled, and again the pain stopped at once. Her powers were sharp, powerful, yet short lived. Tears of frustration and pain rolled down his cheeks.

"Kagome, I fought so long to get to you. Don't-" but InuYasha's pleas were interrupted by the miko.

"Stop lying," commanded Kagome. InuYasha crossed his arms over his face to protect himself. His forearm was impaled by the next arrow. His weakened body fell forward. His silver locks blocked the view of Kagome. _All that time, trying to get here, to end up like this!_

Kishirou had been watching from the shadows of the shrine shrubbery. He dashed out towards his mother in a carefully plotted line to avoid being caught by his Grandmother.

"Stop, Okaasan! You have to stop! He's not going to hurt us!" Kishirou shouted as he ran towards Kagome.

"No! Don't!" screamed InuYasha, as he struggled to run towards Kagome. The Hanyou saw the pink swirling energy that surrounded the Miko. The inu-child reached out his claw hand to grasp his mother's arm and screamed. The purifying powers enveloped the child. Yet Kagome didn't flitch, her sole focus was on the Hanyou desperately running towards her. She let loose the next arrow, but it didn't slow him. InuYasha ripped the child away from the purifying trap and threw him ten feet away. Kishirou skidded on his butt until his back hit the well house. The child's loud crying, was drowned out by InuYasha's deafening howl. The Hanyou was ensnared in the bright pink glow of Kagome.

Mrs. Higuarishi ran at her daughter with her shoulder, ramming her and knocking everyone to the ground. She frantically kicked the bow away from her daughters grasp and held her down. Inuyasha was barely supporting himself with one arm. He struggled to sit up.

"Get the children and yourself into the well house. Now!" Mrs. Higuarishi commanded. She resisted against Kagome's will to fight the hanyou. Inuyasha sat up with great effort. Kishirou ran to him and hugged his waist. InuYasaha looked towards Toshi and held a hand out to her but she shook her head 'no' and took a few steps back towards the shrine.

"Go to him, Toshi," Mrs. Higuarshi tried again, but the little girl back away more, while she cried. The slam of a car door was followed by footsteps running up the shrine stairs. InuYasha as quickly, as he was able, walked to the well house with Kishirou and closed the door behind him.

Hojo appeared in the yard shortly after. "Daddy!" Toshi ran to him and hugged his leg.

"She had another episode," Mrs. Higuarshi called out to Hojo. He hurriedly returned the Toshi's hug and untangled the small girl from himself.

"I have not! You don't know what you are doing!" defended Kagome. She kicked against her mother's restraining hold.

"I drove over here as fast as I could," said Hojo. He picked Kagome up in a well practiced restrictive hold and carried her towards the house. She fought against him but he held her with ease.

"I know you did," replied Mrs. Higuarshi. She picked herself up off the ground, brushed off her dress and moved her loose hair away from her face. "You arrive shortly after any text I send you. I'm just glad I had my cell phone in my pocket" reached out a hand to Toshi. She accepted it. pointed at the well house and then placed a silencing finger over her lips. Toshi nodded and they walked into the house after Hojo and Kagome.

___________

Inside the well house InuYasha watched the departing family through a slit in the door. He looked back at the sniffing Kishirou.

"Are you still hurting?" he asked Kishirou.

"I don't know, kinda."

"Baka. Don't you know not to touch her when she's channeling?" InuYasha asked while he grasped the arrow in the muscle of his chest. Kishirou face paled at what he perceived InuYasha was going to do. "Don't look. Close your eyes," said InuYasha. Kishirou squeezed them shut. None of the arrows had penetrated clear through. The bow string must be loose, he reasoned. InuYasha cleanly pulled the arrow out, thanking Kami it wasn't too deep. He grunted as he pulled another arrow out of his forearm. One of the arrows only caught in his clothing and not him. He broke the end off the last arrow lodged in his back, but couldn't remove it safely himself.

"Alright, pup, you can look now," InuYasha said gently. "You still haven't answered my question."

"Was channeling why it hurt to touch Mommy?"

"Yes, haven't you seen her do it before?"

"No, I didn't know she could do it."

"Well she can. She's a miko. And that means she's damn dangerous to anyone with demon blood. If you were a full Youkai that could have killed you." InuYasha told him sternly. The tears that Kishirou had fought back began to flow again. He sobbed loudly. "Hey, don't cry pup." InuYasha said softly. He brushed a tear from the child's cheek.

"Why does Mommy want to hurt me?"

"She doesn't. She's not herself," said InuYasha. He was mostly repeating what Mrs. Higuarishi had told him in the kitchen. Something was certainly wrong with Kagome, he just didn't know what.

"I've had to hear that my whole life. I think it's just who she is," cried Kishirou.

"That's not true. I know Kagome."

"How?" Kishirou asked through his sobs. He fisted his little hand and rubbed his eyes. InuYasha hesitated, and in that spoken silence only the cries of Kishirou echoed in the dark well house.

"What did your Grandmother tell you?"

"To eat more chocolate chip cookies. She always does that when I ask too many questions. She knows they are my favorite."

InuYasha smirked, "Did you?"

"Yeah, but I can still talk with my mouth full. Please, tell me," pleaded the small child.

"Come here," InuYasha opened his one good arm to him. Kishirou crawled into his lap and rested his head against his chest. "I'll tell you in the morning, but I have to talk to your Grandmother first."

"Why?"

InuYasha ignored the pup's question and instead softly commanded, "Rest, you need it. You fought pretty bravely back there." He rubbed the small child's back and within moments he fell asleep. InuYasha fell asleep shortly after as his body's exhaustion over took his troubled mind.

InuYasha awoke to the soft nudge of Mrs. Higuarishi. He instinctively held Kishirou tighter and emitted a low rumbling growl.

"It's alright. Kagome is locked in her room. She can't get out. I've had to do it before. Toshi is in bed but she won't fall asleep without her brother. She's a bit frightened to be in the room alone. Hojo left to go back to his home. You can come inside now," said Mrs. Higuarishi.

"Are you sure its alright for me to come inside?"

"The cat's out of the bag that you are here. We have to help Kagome accept that you are the real InuYasha. We can talk about that later. Is my grandson ok?"

"Nothin broken. Purification is more painful than deadly to someone who is part human. He is a little scuffed from hitting the well house, but his youkai blood will help him heal faster than a normal human. Just needs rest."

"Do you want me to carry him?" asked Mrs. Higuarshi

"Keh, I got him," replied InuYasha. Mrs. Higuarshi laced her arm with InuYasha's. For InuYasha's pride it allowed him to lead her to her house, for practical purposes it allowed her to support some of his body weight as he carefully walked to the house.

InuYasha carried Kishirou into the children's bedroom. Toshi was curled up in a ball with the blankets pulled up to her nose. The Hanyou laid the small child on to his bed. Toshi screamed, startling Mrs. Higuarishi.

"Toshi," scolded Mrs. Higuarishi.

"There's a broken arrow sticking out of his back!" Toshi whispered

"I've had worse," replied InuYasha. "I'll be in the bathroom. I'll probably need some help with this later." He left to get the children tucked into bed. In the bathroom he managed to remove both his shirts. He washed his forearm wound in the bathroom sink. A soft knock sounded three times on the door. "Yeah?"

"You said you needed help?" He opened the door for Mrs. Higuarshi.

"Just pull it out." He bent down on all fours so that she could reach the arrow. He felt her place one hand on his back and grasp the arrow with the other.

"Maybe we should go to the hospital. This looks pretty bad," said Mrs. Higuarishi.

"Its pretty hard to hid me being a hanyou there. Don't you think we would have to explain how the arrow got there? Kagome said something once about…ouch! Damnit. Don't just tug on it, pull it out! No! Not down! Out! Fuck!"

"InuYasha I really think maybe we should just—"

"Pull the fucking thing out now! Your daughter did this all the time, there's no damn reason why—ow!"

"There I got it. I guess it's a blessing you wear red. I'll wash your clothes and you clean up. There's a first aid kit in that mirror there. There's several rolls of bandages from when Kagome used to travel through the well. There's some disinfectant too. Just hand me out your clothes." Mrs. Higuarishi closed the door and waited for the laundry. InuYasha handed it out shortly after.

InuYasha realized he forgot to ask which knob was what. He remembered to stand outside the bathtub until he achieved his desired temperature. He stepped into the shower allowing the water to run across his face. The water turned red around his feet. He found Kagome's herbal soap and used that to start scrubbing the dirt off his body. _How long has it been since I had a bath? I couldn't let my guard down in my time. There were always Youkai after me. When's the last time the fire rat robes were washed? _He had afforded himself enough time in the feudal era to dive into the water fully clothed and shake himself off before moving on, but it had been years since he had been able to take the time with soap to wash his hair. He stayed until his fingers began to wrinkle and the water turned chilly.

He stepped out into the steamy air and reached for the first aid kit. When he was alone in feudal Japan, he mended his own wounds, but with Kagome only a few rooms away it felt odd and exceedingly lonely. Mrs. Higuarshi soft knock came again at the door. He cracked it open enough to take his freshly laundered clothes from her.

When he emerged from the bathroom, Mrs. Higuarshi had dinner waiting for him. She had also made up the couch with fresh sheets and blankets.

* * *

InuYasha hadn't had a good night's sleep in awhile. Even though the couch was too short for him to entirely stretch out, it was so very soft. For years the best he had was straw on a cave floor. In the Feudal Era, he couldn't have anything weighing him down or connecting him to the village-- in case the Youkai tracked it back to them. That meant he couldn't have any blankets. He had just buried himself under the straw for warmth. Despite the discomfort of his healing wounds he could have slept clear into the afternoon in the Higuarshi home. However, Kishirou had other plans.

InuYasha's ears twitched at the thumping of Kishirou running into his grandmother's bedroom and then down the stairs. The small child ran to the couch and shook InuYasha's shoulder.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" said Kishirou. InuYasha however had years of practice ignoring Shipo's wake up calls when he felt like it. The trick was to hold very still. Kishirou took this an invitation to jump on the hanyou. InuYasha could not ignore the child bouncing on his injured ribs. He rolled to the side, still feigning sleep and letting the child fall to the floor. Kishirou recognized a challenge and leap upon the elder hanyou's side and bounced up and down while chanting "Wake up!"

"Alright pup, I'm up. So, you are feeling better?" InuYasha asked sitting up and placing the kid on the floor.

"Yep! See the scrap on my arm is all healed up. Grandma says I'm the faster healer ever! Its because I'm a hanyou! So, how do you know my Okaasan and Grandma?"

"I still need to talk to your Grandmother first."

"But you promised in the morning! Its not fair to make me wait till after school!"

"I did?"

"You made a dog demon promise," Kishirou pouted. InuYasha could hear the sounds of Mrs. Higuarishi moving about her room.

"Well, we were friends, Kagome and me, before you were born."

"Did you know my dad?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Where is he? When's he coming back?"

"I don't think I promised to answer ALL your questions."

"Well at least tell me why you never visited before. I mean Hojo and mom were friends before I was born and he always comes by." InuYasha grounded his teeth. He didn't like being reminded that Hojo had been around while the well wouldn't let him through. If he told the kid about the well, he might try jumping down it, and the well might work for him, and if it didn't work for InuYasha or Kagome... he could be lost forever.

"It wasn't possible to visit," InuYasha said simply.

"Why?"

" Kishirou, stop bothering InuYasha and come help me in the kitchen," said Mrs. Higuarishi as she came down the stairs.

The inu child leaned in close to InuYasha and whispered, "I bet you heal up just as fast as me." InuYasha scrunched his black eyebrows a bit confused as to why this would be a secret. He nodded to the boy. "I thought so. I bet you don't have any marks from those arrows, huh?"

"Kishirou! Kitchen!" Mrs. Higuarshi called.

"I bet it was awesome knowing you could just shrug off that arrow in your back. Toshi said that it was all-" Kishirou was interrupted by his Grandmother once more. He resigned himself, waved goodbye and trotted off to the kitchen.

"Keh." InuYasha said to no one in particular and laid back down to fall asleep.

* * *

InuYasha's sleep ended shortly after the kids were sent to school. He was sitting on the couch with his hands covering his furry ears, but it wasn't enough to block out the sound of Kagome's screams. She was calling out for InuYasha over and over again. The scent of her tears filled the downstairs living room

Mrs. Higuarishi had stepped outside to make a phone call. For the most part, she ignored the clamor that came from her daughter's room, except when she paused to give InuYasha a sympatric look. She had explained that this was "normal." Episodes could last for a few days or only an hour.

He uncovered his fuzzy ears and climbed the steps. Kagome was beating on the door. The electric cracks of her purifying energy were heard in the hallway. He dared to go closer; to rest his forehead against the door and place his hands where he imaged her fists were impacting the barrier on the other side.

"Kagome," he said softy, unsure she could hear him over her own voice. She stopped screaming and hammering against the door. "Kagome," he tried again. He could feel the rise of her energy then he found himself pushed backwards into the wall by an explosion of purifying force. He yelped and frantically moved away. The stairs were beyond her purification reach. He sat down at the top of the stairs with drooping ears. He felt so powerless to help her and so unsure of what to do. Her screams started again and he covered his ears and hung his head low.

"InuYasha," Mrs. Higuarshi called from downstairs. He went to her. She smiled as if everything was perfect. "You best put on your bandanna," she held out a black one for him. "Or would you prefer red, I think I have a red one somewhere…."

"The black is fine," he responded. He tied it around his ears but it didn't really muffle the sound.

"Hojo will be over soon to—"

"Hojo!?"

"Yes, he's going to go in and settle her down."

"And just how the hell is he going to do that?!"

"Well he's going to get her to eat. If he can. At the very least he'll give her some of this." She shook a bottle full of green liquid. "It's supposed to be for head colds, so it doesn't hurt her, but it does make her sleepy. I think that's all we have to do for the moment. I try not to let her get too out of hand around the children and they will be home soon. When she's really bad, she will hurt herself trying to get out. When it comes to that Hojo has helped me tie her down before."

"Do you think she's possessed by a demon?" asked InuYasha

"Oh if only it was that easy," replied Mrs. Higuarshi, "I do have to say, she hasn't been like this in awhile. She's been depressed and difficult to motivate but she hasn't screamed in three years."

"Does it only happen when she channels?"

"I don't know when she is channeling."

"She's never hurt the kids before?" InuYasha asked. Mrs. Higuarishi sighed. She looked passed InuYasha when she answered, "She can be too rough with them sometimes. Mostly squeezing. It's like she doesn't know how tight her grip is…" InuYasha ran a clawed hand through his silver hair.

"I meant more like when she's channeling. Like what happened yesterday with Kishirou…?"asked InuYasha

"No, nothing like that has ever happened before."

"Do the kids ever see her when she's like this?"

"They hear the hysteria, but I don't let them go inside of her room. She's not safe for them to be around. She throws things, breaks things. I tried to get most glass items out of the room, but there's only so much I can do," replied Mrs. Higuarshi.

"Maybe she has these 'ep-is-odes' when she channels. Maybe something is screwy with her magic. But that still doesn't explain why she thinks I'm Naraku. We killed him. She saw that happen," said the hanyou.

"She doesn't think logically anymore. I never would have expected her to fully deny that you had returned. If only you had come back a few years ago. I think it would have been different. She's slipped away from us more over the years," said Mrs. Higuarshi. InuYasha heart thumped heavily and his fingertips felt numb. _All those years I thought if I could just get to Kagome, everything would be better. _"I didn't mean that it wasn't good that—" Mrs. Higuarshi was interrupted by a knocking at the front door.

She went to greet Hojo. InuYasha stood kitchen doorway with his hands in his sleeves. He glared at the cheerful man. Hojo moved passed pleasantries with and noticed InuYasha's glowering form. His eyes widened at the sight of him.

"You made it back!" said Hojo, and he quickly approached the hanyou with an outstretched hand. InuYasha looked at it and back at Hojo. He remembered the customary greeting in this time and hesitantly shook his hand. "I'm so glad to see that finally tracked you down. All those disconnected phone lines! You must have traveled quite a bit. I can't imagine what a shock it is to find out you have two beautiful children. And they are wonderful kids, just wonderful! I can't believe Kagome didn't tell about you about Kishirou the last time you two saw each other. Back then she had her good days and her bad days. She must have been so excited to see you that it slipped her mind somehow. Gosh she must have been excited to see you now!" Hojo finally picked up on the mood in the house and looked at Mrs. Higuarishi who shook her head 'no'. "She's calling for you anyway," said Hojo absentmindedly, "She's been doing that for years…"

"She doesn't seem to recognize him, Hojo. She's been like this since he got here. Seeing InuYasha makes her worse, that's why I called you," Mrs. Higuarishi responded. _Really its that she can't fry you like she can me. _

"Well, we have a lot to talk about you and me," said Hojo to InuYasha, "Let me go upstairs and attend to Kagome. Then you can come with me to pick up the kids." Hojo's cheerful demeanor stayed until the top of the stairs, when he reached the second floor, InuYasha saw his face harden. The screaming in Kagome's bedroom was worse once Hojo entered. Mrs. Higuarshi rubbed her arms uncomfortably. A slap echoed all the way down the stairs. InuYasha ran towards the stairs but Mrs. Higuarshi stopped him and shook her head. He slumped his shoulders, trusting the older woman, even though every instinct told him to go protect Kagome. The door opened and Hojo bolted it from the outside. He came down the stairs rubbing one excessively red cheek and gave the bottle of green liquid.

"She's not going to eat tonight. She's too wound up. Come on, InuYasha, let's go get the kids," said Hojo.

InuYasha cautiously followed Hojo out of the shrine. His ears were happy to put some distance between himself and the miko, yet he felt great guilt over leaving.

"Did you have a good journey back?" asked Hojo innocently. InuYasha scrunched his black eyebrows together, _Yeah, once the damn well started working again. Don't know if it still does!_

"Keh," InuYasha responded out loud with a shrug of his shoulders. When they reached the car, Hojo hesitated in unlocking the passenger side by bouncing the keys in his hands. He finally met InuYasha's honey colored eyes.

"I know, you didn't know she was pregnant when you left. I don't think you leaving did this to her. Kagome was always a sickly girl. She was always weak in body and so, I think this just happened. Sometimes bad things just happened to good people. On her good days, she is very much like the Kagome I remember from our school days-- warm, caring and compassionate.

I don't know why you didn't stay with her before, and I'm not going to ask that. I know you had a career to pursue and maybe you thought getting that job would help support her or win her over—but none of that matters now.

You now know she has your kids. You should know she loves you. I'm asking on Kagome's behalf that you stay even though she's not the entirely the girl you remember."

InuYasha had to click his jaw shut, "I _wanted _to come back. I tried. I just couldn't," he replied. The hanyou was having a hard time meeting Hojo's gaze. He didn't want to lie to someone who had basically taken care of Kagome and the kids. And apparently Hojo thought Toshi was InuYasha's child. The hanyou reasoned that meant Hojo and Kagome hadn't been together as lovers. He owed Hojo a great deal of debt. "I won't leave without both Kagome and the kids."

"Good, I'm glad to hear it," Hojo clapped him on the shoulder and smiled broadly. He unlocked the passenger side and let himself in the car as well. InuYasha remembered how the seat belt worked. Hojo began the very short drive to the children's school. It was really only a stone's throw away. The car ride was going to be more of a treat to the kids.

"Thanks for taking care of them," InuYasha said quietly. Hojo simply nodded. When they pulled up to the school, both the children came running up to the car and clamored into the backseat.

"Did you have a good day?" Hojo asked.

"Yeah, we did!" Kishirou answered for both of them. "Did you know each other before too?"

"Yeah, kinda," replied Hojo as he started the car away from the school.

"InuYasha knew our Dad. He might now where he is now!"

"Don't get ahead of yourself, pup." InuYasha scolded, giving a mild glare over his shoulder.

"Icecream?" Hojo asked.

"Yeah!" the kids said excitedly. The rest of the car ride Kishirou loudly talked about his day at school. He over talked Toshi several times. Eventually she just sat quietly watching the passing of colors out the window. When they arrived at the icecream shop, the kids jumped out and ran ahead of the adults.

"Are you waiting to tell them you are their father, so that Kagome can tell them too?" asked Hojo.

"Kagome's mother thought that would be best."

"What do you think is best?"

"I don't know yet. So much is different." InuYasha replied, running his hand through his hair nervously.

"Those kids have been wanting their father for a long time. Toshi especially. She calls me 'Dad' you know. It has been kind of awkward for me and my wife, but I've let Toshi do it, because it makes her happy. She was going through so much at home; I just wanted to give her a little bit of joy. But you—you are her real father, and she's waited a long time for you. Why make her wait any longer?" Hojo causally shrugged his shoulders, "That's what I think anyway."


	10. Great Dog Demon

Hojo had left shortly after dropping them off at the shrine. The sun was beginning to set, during the sky a brilliant purple. The screams of Kagome had quieted and InuYasha had a mostly quiet meal with the children and Mrs. Higuarshi. After which Mrs. Higuarshi had bid them to get ready for bed. They ran up the stairs racing each other to the bathroom. Mrs. Higuarshi scrubbed down the kitchen counters.

InuYasha twitched his ears as he considered everything that Hojo said. _Was his absence to blame for Kagome's behavior or would she have ended up like that anyway? Was it just something bad but natural that had happened to Kagome or was it something else... something that forced her to behave like that?_

"InuYasha," said Mrs. Higuarshi breaking him free of his thoughts, "You should go tuck the children into bed."

"Me?" he asked. She giggled lightly.

"Yes, you. You should start getting used to it." He pushed his chair back and stood. He hesitated a moment to watch her work at making the kitchen clean. Mrs. Higuarshi had always represented everything a mother should be to him. She was just good at doing it.

He didn't know what being a parent really meant. He had considered that being a father meant he had to protect everyone. He was good at that, and confident in his physical abilities. But it also meant tucking kids into bed, cleaning the house... and other things.

He wasn't sure he remembered everything his mother did. And his mother didn't have to do everything herself because there had been servants. It would be different for him and Kagome because they only had each other... and it might all fall to him if Kagome never become any better. He pushed his chair under the table.

"How did you do it?" InuYasha asked.

"You just make sure they are in bed and kiss them good night. They might ask for water or a story, which is fine, but don't let Kishirou get away with staying up too late."

"No, I mean, being a single parent? Although that other stuff was good to know too."

"Well, it's not easy, that's for sure. You have to do everything for your children instead of yourself. You put them first."

"What if Kagome never gets any better? What if she never remembers me?" asked the hanyou. Mrs. Higuarshi slowed her circular cleaning strokes.

"I don't know if that is going to happen or not. Part of being a parent is tackling one problem at a time. Don't let the future crush you before it happens. Right now, all you have to do is tuck the children into bed. You can handle that, right?" Mrs. Higuarshi asked. He nodded. She gave him a beaming smile, and he suddenly realized she had to be optimistic all the time for him, the children and Kagome, and it must be exhausting.

He went up to the children's room, thinking he could handle this one task, and found the unexpected. Toshi was crying while Kishirou threw pillows at her from his bed.

"Shut up, Toshi! I'm so tired of you being a big baby!" Kishirou yelled.

"Hey, what's going on in here?" InuYasha demanded. Kishirou yelped and hid himself under his blankets. Toshi was looking at the floor. "Somebody answer me!" Kishirou dropped the covers and pointed an accusing finger at his sister.

"She started it!" said Kishirou.

"Started what?" asked InuYasha.

"Being loud. I can't sleep when she's loud." InuYasha looked at Toshi to defend herself but she just continued crying. The hanyou picked up the pillows off the floor and tossed them back on to Kishirou's bed. It was a delaying tactic so he could think of what to do next. Then he remembered what Kagome always made him say to Shippo when he cried.

"Tell Toshi you're sorry."

"But she started it!" Kishirou said loudly, then added with a pout, "She should be the one who has to apologize." InuYasha crossed his arms, gave him a low warning growl.

Kishirou paled, scrambled back under the covers and said, "Sorry Toshi, Sorry!" InuYasha snorted.

"Hey kid, he said sorry, stop crying," the half demon said to the little girl.

"She's crying because she lost her stupid balls!" said Kishirou.

"Am not!" said Toshi finally speaking up.

"She has a white one under her bed but she keeps crying over the green and blue one! What does it matter! They all bounce the same!" said Kishirou.

"I didn't lose them!" Toshi protested.

"Yes you did! And your stupid crying keeps me awake all night!" Kishirou yelled back.

"We'll look for the balls tomorrow, ok kid?" said InuYasha, hoping this would end the argument and stop the little girl's tears.

"I didn't lose them!" cried Toshi.

"Liar," said Kishirou.

"Enough!" InuYasha growled. "Both of you be quiet and get under the blankets." The kids quickly did what was asked of them. Toshi continued to sniffle. He flicked the light switch off.

"Isn't Grandma going to tuck us in?" asked Toshi.

"No, that's what I just did," replied InuYasha.

"You didn't tell us a story," argued Kishirou. InuYasha twitched his ears about as he considered the request. He remembered that Mrs. Higuarshi had mentioned the need for a bed time story. He sighed and turned the light back on. "Do you know any Great Dog Demon stories?" asked Kishirou

"Maybe."

"I've heard them all. All three of them, and they are boring," said Toshi.

"There's more than three of them!" said Kishirou, "I just don't remember the other stories very well."

"Which three?" asked InuYasha. He sat down in the chair near the bed.

"I know the one where he found the little fox, the one when the jewel broke apart, and how he was stuck to a tree."

"How about the one where he fought the great big wolf?" asked InuYasha. Kishirou nodded excitedly, though Toshi continued to pout. InuYasha told the story with such enthusiasm and even demonstrated the sword fight by bouncing around the room with an imaginary sword that Toshi gasped and clapped her hands. When he finally shut off the light the two children were ready to dream of adventures and most importantly Toshi had stopped crying. He was feeling pretty smug until he ran into Mrs. Higuarshi who told him the kids should have been asleep an hour ago.

----------

In the morning Kishirou, woke his grandmother, and then ran down the stairs into the kitchen to set the table. Toshi walked down rubbing her eyes after breakfast was ready. She tottered from side to side as she descended the staircase. InuYasha was waiting for her at the bottom.

"Morning, kid," said InuYasha. Toshi looked up at him sleepily.

"Morning."

"I think I have something you might want." He pulled his hands out of his sleeves to reveal one green ball and one blue ball. She gasped with surprise but she looked up at InuYasha nervously.

"I didn't lose them I swear! I don't know how they got there!" Toshi said. She ran back up the stairs and into her room. InuYasha followed her. She was sitting on her bed with her knees pulled up to her chest.

"Kid, I thought you wanted these?" asked the hanyou.

"Am I in trouble?" Toshi asked.

"No."

"Really?

"Really," InuYasha dropped the balls onto her bed and ruffled her hair. "Just next time, if they happen to go in the well house come get me, ok? I'll get them back for you."

"Even if they end up on the bottom of that stupid well?"

"Yep."

"And you won't yell at me? Or shake me?" asked the little girl. InuYasha sighed and sat down on the bed.

"Did your mom do that?"

"Yeah. I know I'm not supposed to go in there. But I don't mean for the balls to end up in the well house, they just bounce… and if I tell anyone where they went, I get in big trouble," explained Toshi.

"Even though you are not supposed to go in the well house, it's not ok for your mom to shake you," he said softly.

"You know what?" asked Toshi.

"What?"

"I like you," she hugged him happily. InuYasha gave her a toothy grin. "Are you going to stay a long time with us?"

"You bet," he replied.

---------------

Kagome began loudly crying shortly after the children had departed for school. InuYasha rubbed one of his ears. He fished around the couch until he found his discarded bandanna and put that on. It didn't help much but it was something. He went to see Mrs. Higuarshi in the kitchen. She was cleaning up the remains of breakfast.

"So, Toshi, she's not Hojo's?" asked InuYasha

"Good heavens no. Why would you think that?" replied Mrs. Higuarshi.

"Because he's over here a lot and he used to like her when she went to school," said the half demon. Mrs. Higuarshi sighed.

"I suppose I can see why you would have thought that. But Toshi doesn't even look like him. I honestly don't know who the father really is. I assume it was someone from America or Europe because of her blond hair and light colored eyes. I was always grateful that her features were different enough that Kagome would mistake her for yours. It would just crush her if she knew. That's why I keep Toshi in all those cute little hats, so that Kagome doesn't focus too much on why her ears not the same as Kishirou."

"Light colored eyes?"

"You haven't noticed? They are a very striking violet," responded Mrs. Higuarshi. InuYasha heart thumped madly. It was like that first day in the well house when he saw Kishirou all over again. He put his hand to his chest in an effort to slow the beat.

"Why is she sick?"

"She's sick?" asked Mrs. Higuarshi, "She seemed fine at breakfast. Did she say she wasn't feeling well? Maybe I should have taken her temperature before she left if—"

"No not like that. Not like cold or the flu. Like—" InuYasha paused in his words and looked hard at Mrs. Higuarshi, "She's healthy?"

"Yes, always has been. She gets allergies pretty bad sometimes. I'm not exactly sure what causes it because she's ok with flowers, she plays in the grass, she hugs animals just fine… and then one day she'll just complain that something smells bad and feels sick for the rest of the day. It comes and goes."

"Kishirou doesn't do that?"

"No, Kishirou has never had trouble with allergies." _Damn pup can't smell for shit. Fuck, that probably means Toshi could smell that spider and Kishirou couldn't. And if she was the one who told Kagome about me… damnit! That would explain how Kagome made the connection between me and Naraku. But that doesn't explain why she thinks Naraku is alive… though the bastard did have a knack for coming back even after we thought we had killed him. Damn it! And these humans don't have a clue that Toshi isn't well._

"I have an idea for Kagome," said InuYasha.

----

"Just leave the house," said InuYasha as he climbed the stairs.

"You might need me," replied Mrs. Higuarshi.

"I'm telling you now that I don't. Just stay out of my way. I know what I'm doing," he said sternly. Mrs. Higuarshi was wringing her hands with worry. He approached Kagome's bedroom door with caution. She was crying and screaming nonsense. He unlatched the outside of the door, took a deep breathe, and entered the room. Mrs. Higuarshi as agreed locked the door behind him in case he couldn't stop Kagome from trying to leave.

Kagome was curled up in a ball on the floor under the window. He inhaled deeply taking in all of her scent. His heart hammered in his chest. The smell of her tears hung heavy in the air. He walked towards her slowly. She still had her face buried in her knees. He bent down and placed a light hand on her knee. She looked up through her tear washed eyes.

"You look so much like him," she said. He was afraid to speak, afraid that it might set her off. So far this was much better than he expected. He gently pulled her into his embrace and buried his nose in her raven locks. He closed his eyes tightly, waiting for her decision. She spread her fingers slowly across his muscular chest and clutched the fire rat robes. "But you are a fool to think I would fall for this, Naraku."

"I love you, Kagome," InuYasha said and held her tighter, he squeezed his eyes shut expecting the purification and it came in a red hot flare. The room flashed pink and the air crackled. The airs on his arms rose and his blood was set afire. He locked his jaw and inhaled her scent in an effort not to scream. He let Kagome go because he was afraid his claws would dig into her skin as the pain intensified. The waves of purifying light penetrated his core and he let out an inhuman howl of agony. He trashed on the ground and she pushed her energy farther into him, till at last he was a sweaty whimpering ball on the floor. She still had the firerat robes in her fists. His human hands reached out to her, but she pulled away.

"Please Kagome," InuYasha said between pants and he struggled to sit right again. He reached out for her. "Please recognize me for who I am."

"Its not possible," she said in disbelief as she back away from him.

"It is possible. I don't know why the well sealed itself. And I don't know why I was finally able to get through but I did and I'm here. Please, Kagome," he pleaded. He brushed his black hair over his shoulder and held an outreached hand to Kagome.

"Its not possible," she said angrily. "I don't know how you pulled this off but I'm going to end this!" She pounced on him with very intense blue eyes. He could only assume she was channeling once more, but it no longer hurt him. He reached up and touched her cheek and ran his thumb over her jawbone. He drew his nose close to hers and nuzzled her gently. "Why isn't this working?" She jumped away from him.

"I'm human now. You can't purify a human. It's me. Can't you see that?"

"Don't toy with me," she screamed. She picked up a bedside lamp and threw it at him. He covered his face and it shattered against his arms. "You think because InuYasha isn't here that my children and I are unprotected?! I'll protect them always!" She picked up a book and threw that, he batted it away. As she was picking up a stool, he tackled her to the bed.

"Bitch, stop being so damn crazy."

"Let me go! Let me go!"

"You can't purify me. You should be able to tell that I'm not that fuckin spider." She struggled, screamed and bit down on his shoulder. He fought to get away from the range of her teeth, while still pinning her to the bed. She used her nails but that didn't bother him as much. "See me for who I am!" He roughly smashed his lips into hers. He needed to taste her. His human heart was beating wildly as he was plagued with doubt and intense loneliness. He forced his tongue past her teeth, forced her to submit to his affections, but then her teeth bit down on his lower lip. He couldn't get away and in a frantic effort to be free, he slapped her. Her eyes swelled with renewed tears.

"Oh Kami, I'm sorry, Kagome, I'm sorry," InuYasha chocked out, "I didn't mean to, kami, I didn't mean to!" He released her and backed away until his back hit the door. He sunk low to his knees and covered his face with his hands. The first of his tears fell on to the carpet.

"Get out!" she screamed. She picked up the stool and threw it. It hit his shoulder and rolled away. "Out!" There was an urgent knocking on the door.

"InuYasha, dear, do you want out?" asked Mrs. Higuarshi

"Yes!" He rose to stand, and banged on the door with an open palm. "Please." The door opened and InuYasha practically fell out. Mrs. Higuarshi swiftly shut the door as another bedroom object landed against it. She secured the locks and then finally took in InuYasha's changed appearance. She had never seen him in his human form before. His eyes were covered by his black bangs.

"Oh my, she really nailed you in the face, huh?"

"I'm fine," he said gruffly and stomped to the bathroom. In the mirror he saw that his lip was bleeding and the faint outline of her teeth. His black hair and violet eyes shocked him in the reflection. It was different seeing the change as opposed to feeling it. He had failed Kagome and the children. He covered his face as he let out a chocking sob.

"InuYasha, dear, it's not your fault. Do you want to come out and talk about it?" asked Mrs. Higuarshi gently. He could see the shadow of her feet under the door. He sniffled, trying to hold back the sadness.

"I'm just going to take a shower," he replied. He turned on the water so she couldn't hear him as clearly.

"Well, I'll be out here if you need anything. Just remember, you tried your best. That's all you can do."

-------------------

The house had been eerily quiet since InuYasha had left Kagome's room. He couldn't smell her tears in his human body. Though the absence of the yelling and the scent should have been a relief, it made him nervous instead. He couldn't be entirely sure she was still in the house without his ability to smell her. The window in the bedroom was too high up to jump and Mrs. Higuarshi had nailed it shut years ago. It was most logical to assume that Kagome hadn't left, but he was feeling lost without his youkai senses. He had stood outside her bedroom watching for her shadow to move across the edge of the wooden door and even pressed his ear against it to hear her moving inside.

The children arrived home from school at their usual time. InuYasha was walking down the stairs when they entered.

"Who are you?" gasped Kishirou.

"Who do you think I am?" asked InuYasha. He ruffled Kishirou's hair.

"But what happened to your ears? And your hair, it's the same color as mine!" said Kishirou.

"I still have ears," the hanyou said pointing to his rounded earlobes.

"And your eyes are the same color as Toshi's!" said Kishirou. InuYasha looked over to the little girl to find that her eye color did match his own. It caused his heart to flutter. He had to make sure she was his before he said anything to .

"Sometimes Hanyous turn human. Doesn't it happen to you Kishirou?" asked InuYasha. He sat down on the stairs so he'd be more at the children's level.

"No, I never lose my ears," said Kishirou

"I didn't lose mine either, they are just different," replied InuYasha.

"How long are you like that?" asked the inu child.

"I'll be back to normal tomorrow. Hey, don't tug on my ears."

"That means you can go outside without a bandanna, cuz you look normal," said Kishirou.

"This really isn't a normal look for me. Would you-- I said stop messing with my ears and my hair," he batted the child's outreached fingertips away.

"But how can you just change like that?" asked Kishirou.

"How come you don't?" countered InuYasha.

"Because changing isn't normal. My ears are my ears and I don't lose them. They're attached." explained the dark haired child.

"Mine are attached too so you don't need to be pulling on them."

"Well you must be some kind of crazy hanyou, because I don't change," said Kishirou

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not. Look Kishirou, your father wasn't a youkai. He was a hanyou and that means you are less than half youkai. Maybe that's why you don't change," explained InuYasha.

"But mom said--"

"Your mother says a lot of crazy things right now. I knew him, he was a hanyou."

"But he could change into a really big white dog," said Kishirou.

"No, he couldn't. But he didn't need to anyway. He was more powerful than most youkais and he had a kickass sword," replied InuYasha.

"Like yours?" asked Kishirou pointing at the Tetsaiga.

"Yeah kinda."

"How come you carry that around everywhere?" asked Toshi.

"Because there are still youkai in this world," replied InuYasha.

"Have you fought with it? Can you show us it?"asked Kishirou.

"Yes. No," replied InuYasha.

"Why not?" asked Kishirou.

"Because I get in big trouble when I take it out in the house, ok?" He clearly remembered the last time he did and he was in trouble with pretty much everyone in the family. Suddenly he remembered there was a member of the Higuarshi house hold missing.

"Hey, Kishirou, where's your grandfather?"

"You mean Great Grandfather?"

"Yeah."

"He died last year."

"Oh," said InuYasha, "Sorry to hear that."

"Toshi, come here, we have to get your hair done," called Mrs. Higuarshi from the upstairs bathroom.

"Oh, no," said Toshi and she took off running for the kitchen.

"Toshi, come here." Mrs. Higuarshi had her hands on her hips at the top of the stairs.

"She went that way," said Kishirou pointing at the kitchen. "I better get started on my homework." He went to the dinning room where he began to pull his textbooks out of his backpack. Mrs. Higuarshi came down the stairs and went after Toshi. Shortly after she was forcefully taking Toshi up the stairs to the bathroom. His human nose had scented a very light scent of something his youkai senses remembered. InuYasha followed them as something didn't feel quite right.

"I hate this! I don't want to!" said Toshi.

"Just sit there, Toshi."

"No," she tried to shove past her grandmother, but she pulled her back. Mrs. Higuarshi picked up a bottle and squirted some of the liquid into the sink. The scent that had pricked his memory became dangerously clear. He ran in and pulled the girl away from her grandmother.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?!" demanded InuYasha.

"Making me stinky!" said Toshi.

"I am not making you stinky. I'm fixing your hair. And the smell is gone when I wash it out with soap. Come here," said Mrs. Higuarshi.

"No," said InuYasha. "This stuff it doesn't smell right." Toshi hid behind InuYasha's leg.

"Don't be ridiculous this doesn't hurt her," said Mrs. Higuarshi.

"It burns," Toshi said.

"Only if it gets on your skin, which if you wouldn't squirm wouldn't happen."

"It makes me sick for days," said Toshi.

"Toshi, don't be so dramatic," said the elder lady.

"She's not. I could smell it on her when I got here," said InuYasha.

"That's not possible, the last time I did this was over a month ago."

"Well I could. What are you doing with that stuff?" asked the hanyou.

"Bleaching her hair," replied the elder woman.

"What? Why?" asked InuYasha.

"I'm making her hair white. Her blond roots are starting to show," said Mrs. Higuarshi.

"You can't see them under this stupid hat," said Toshi.

"You will be able to see them eventually, don't you want to be pretty?"

"No," pouted the little girl.

"Why the hell does it matter what color her hair is? Let the girl alone. That stuff stinks," said InuYasha.

"Because it needs to look like somebody else's hair," whispered Mrs. Higuarshi, "so her mother doesn't realize what she has done."

"Who the hell cares what Kagome thinks! She's crazy anyway," argued the hanyou.

"Toshi might just care if Kagome rejects her like she does you," Mrs. Higuarshi whispered tightly. InuYasha locked his jaw as he glared back at the older woman. He held Toshi behind him protectively.

"I'm here now. And I'm not rejecting her," InuYasha angrily whispered back.

"You have violet eyes," said Mrs. Higuarshi suddenly.

"I always do in my human form. Just like my mother." He picked up Toshi and carried her down the stairs. He sat her down in the kitchen, picked up her blue ball from the table and handed it to her.

"Go play," he said gently. Toshi looked at the ball and then up to his eyes.

"Do I still have to wear these flowered hats?"

"Nope," said InuYasha who snatched it off her head. She smiled broadly, hugged him, and ran out the back door into the green yard. Mrs. Higuarshi came up behind him.

"You know, I wanted her to wear those hats so Kagome wouldn't focus on her lack of inu-ears. I wanted Kishirou to wear hats so nothing bad would happen to him at school."

"Its stupid, let the kid be who she is. Kagome's a crazy bitch, but she's not going to stop loving her kids." InuYasha was still watching Toshi play outside and didn't notice the narrowing of Mrs. Higuarshi's eyes when he talked of her daughter. Shortly after she sighed and watched Toshi too.

"She had brown eyes when she was born. Great big brown eyes. Over the years they changed. It worried me when she started to look more like her father, but maybe it shouldn't have. Did you ever see Kagome again after the well sealed? Even just for a day?"

"Yes," InuYasha said and paused before continuing, "But I won't know if Toshi is really my kid until that smell wears off. It doesn't matter though. She's mine now."

He felt the change wash over him. His claws elongated and his senses returned. He twitched his fuzzy appendages and could hear Kishirou crying upstairs. "Damnit, what now?" He ran up the stairs and into the children's room. Kishirou was sitting on the floor, leaning against his bed with his knees pulled up to his chest.

"What's wrong?" InuYasha asked softly as he knelt down next to the child.

"You're not my dad," said Kishirou between sobs.

"What?"

"I thought you might be. I mean, Okaasan always talked about my daddy wearing red. And I really thought about it and she always said when he turned into a dog he had white hair and yellow eyes. And you do. And when you are human you have the same hair color as me and the same eye color as Toshi," cried Kishirou. InuYasha nervously ran his clawed fingers through his snowy locks. "But you can't be him, because he's dead."

"What?!"

"See," Kishirou handed him part of a torn yellow paper. "I snuck into Mommy's room. I know I'm not allowed to, but I wanted to see if I could find some clues about what my dad really looked liked. He's been dead for years, that's why he doesn't visit, that's why he never talks to me on the phone. Mommy didn't want to tell me."

InuYasha recognized Sango's curvy handwriting. The note was torn and part of it was missing. He had the end of the letter. He read as his ears ticked to the chocking sobs of his pup.

_"--how to tell you this, but he died under the fall of a mountain. I wasn't sure at first, he's been able to survive through so much, but me, Miroku, and the rest of the village moved the rocks away. I am sending you all that is left of him. _

_He loved you so much. He tried every day to get back to you. I hope his spirit finds you in good health. Live a happy life, Kagome. It's what he would have wanted for you. May this letter comfort you because he is now free to find you, unbound by the physical limitations of his body. _

_Love Always,_

_Sango and Miroku "_

He looked up at Kishirou. His face had turned a blotchy red. _There has been too much suffering. _

"It's true," said InuYasha causing Kishirou to cry harder, "that a mountain fell and I was under it." The inu child's head shot up and he stared at InuYasha with wet blue eyes. "I was able to dig my way out from the rocks and into the inside of a mountain. I survived off of cave mold and drinking water that dripped down from the ceiling. I was stuck in there for over four months without any light. I didn't know if I was going deeper or getting closer to finding a way out.

I did finally find a trail of mushrooms that only grow near the surface. I followed those out. I went to the village then. I normally stayed away so the Youkai didn't follow me and hurt the people." InuYasha shrugged. He was looking off into the distance of his memory, "I needed a decent meal and a place to rest without fear of attack. I went to Sango and Miroku's place. They have kids about your age. The Youkai didn't look for me after that.

I remember, I remember, Sango thought I was dead because she found... she found this," he said tugging on the top of his firerat clothing, "and... well a lot of blood. She mentioned something about finding my hair too. I got stuck, I had to cut some of my hair off with my claws and abandon my shirt, there was too much weight on it to move.

But I'm fine now, pup, and I'm here." Kishirou had stopped crying and was staring at InuYasha.

"So you are my daddy?"

"Yeah, I am," said InuYasha. He reached out to hug him, but Kishirou stood up and stomped his foot.

"Then why the hell didn't you get here sooner?! Didn't you know Okassaan thought you were dead?! Maybe that's why she screams all the fuckin time!"

"I wanted to," said InuYasha.

"That's not good enough!" screamed Kishirou. He stomped his foot again. InuYasha grasped the child's shoulders.

"You know that well house your mom is always telling you not go near? I was on the other side of well 500 years in the past. I don't know why the well first started working and I don't know why it stopped. But it stopped, 6 years ago. It opened one day in that time span and your mother could got through, but she went back without me. She had to because of a Youkai attack. That's how you got your sister, but I didn't know about either of you until I got here."

"That just sounds crazy. Crazy like mom's crazy."

"Well its true. Ask your grandmother if you like," InuYasha tweaked one of Kishirou's black inu ears. "You have ears that are different from anyone else you have ever met, just like me. And I've always kept my word, right? Dog demon promise, everything I've said is true." Kishirou looked at him doubtfully but finally nodded.

"Will you ever go back?" asked the inu child.

"I don't know, but if I do, it will be with you, ok?"

"And Okaasan?"

"Yes, and Toshi too," said InuYasha. Kishirou gave him a crushing hug and cried into InuYasha's long snowy hair. "I love you, Kishirou." The hanyou rubbed his child's back and rocked and forth. Kishirou cried himself into exhaustion and fell asleep. He picked him up and laid him in his bed. He pulled the warm comforter over him, tip toed out, and softly closed the door. When it clicked shut, Kagome started screaming. "Oh hell." Kishirou was startled awake, jumped out of bed and ran straight into InuYasha. "You ok?"

"Don't leave," said Kishirou.

"I'm not," replied InuYasha. The child raised his arms up and hopped in the customary pick-me-up request. InuYasha did just that and carried him downstairs to find Mrs. Higuarshi finishing up making dinner. InuYasha put Kishirou down in a chair.

"You show me where you got this paper after dinner, ok?"

"But, I'm not allowed in Okaasan's room," said Kishirou.

"You will be this once," said Inuyasha.

-----------

Thanks to everyone who is taking time to review this. Honestly I didn't realize that it had been years since I worked on this. Decided I don't want to drag it out any longer and I want to finish the story. So as this is my third update this week, you can tell I'm heading strong for actually completing this tale! Good news is I have it all plotted out in my head and I just got to get it on the paper. Please keep the reviews coming! It gives me a reason to keep this up. Also, it helps me know if you guys really really need questions answered. So hopefully this cleared up a lot of Qs I keep getting. I know it doesn't answer all of them, but that's because I'm not finished with the story yet! All will be answered by the end, promise!


	11. Down the Well hopefully

"I'll use the fetch method to get her into the bedroom's bathroom. There is a lock on the outside. I'll lock her in and then you can show us where you found this paper," said Mrs. Higuarshi to InuYasha and her grandson as she climbed the stairs. Toshi had been put to bed early. InuYasha had explained to Kishirou that he would tell Toshi who he was at a later time.

"What's the fetch method?" asked InuYasha.

"Its when Grandma throws something that mommy wants into the bathroom and she runs in after it," answered Kishirou.

"Ok, you two wait out here," said Mrs. Higuarshi as she unlocked the bedroom door and entered. InuYasha could hear the commotion on the inside and the bolt of the bathroom door. Kagome pounded on the barrier screaming to be let out.

"Come in," said Mrs. Higuarshi. Kishirou let go of the hanyou's clawed hand and ran to the window.

"Its over here," said the child. He pulled back the rug and removed a loose board. Mrs. Higuarshi gasped.

"How did you ever find this?" asked the elder lady.

"I was hiding under mom's bed and I saw her open it. I didn't have time to see what else was in there," said Kishirou.

"There's more than the rest of the letter?" asked InuYasha.

"Yeah, I just couldn't get to it before Okaasan noticed," answered the boy. InuYasha knelt down and pulled out a large book. He opened the cover and found photos of himself, Miroku, Sango, Shipo, and Kirara.

"Let me see! Let me see!" said Kishirou excitedly.

"Later pup," replied the hanyou. He closed the book gently. He reached in a found the other torn half of the letter and a long three foot lock of his hair. He pulled out another book.

"That's the journal Kagome kept when she was pregnant with Kishirou. Its for you InuYasha. So that you would be able to catch up on what you missed," said Mrs. Higuarshi. A pang of guilt flooded his being for his absence during Kagome's pregnancy, he nodded to Mrs. Higuarshi. InuYasha reached into the opening again and pulled out wood arrows. "That's where she has been hiding them! That must have been where she hid the bow she used to attacked you. I thought I had taken them all away."

"Alright, let's take these things and go; So, Kagome can leave the bathroom," said InuYasha.

"Can we look at the photos?!" asked Kishirou.

"You can go to bed. We'll look at the photos tomorrow," said InuYasha.

"Ah, man," pouted Kishirou, but he followed his father out and didn't complain about being tucked into the bed for the night. Mrs. Higuarshi released Kagome from the bathroom and locked the bedroom securely. She went to bed shortly. InuYasha sat on the couch leafing through Kagome's hidden items. He could hear her softly crying in the bedroom.

"Please, no, please, no. Why? Why? The last thing I had of him, gone," Kagome cried. It was softly spoken and if not for his exceptional hearing it would have been inaudible. He turned the lock of his hair over in his clawed hand. It was bound together by a red ribbon. _So, this is how they sent Kagome the letter. But it doesn't explain why the well opened for a short time during our separation to allow its passage. If only I had known then, I could have gotten here sooner… but I was inside a mountain when Sango sent this…so maybe knowing the well was opened wouldn't have helped. But why did it open? Why did it close?_

He hated the scent and sound of Kagome crying. He had been drowning in the scent since he had arrived. He hesitantly walked up the stairs with the lock of hair in his hand. He rested his forehead against the door. _I wish I could make everything better, Kagome. _He opened the door and shut it behind him. He leaned against the door expecting Kagome to attack him immediately and thinking himself a fool for entering.

She stood at his arrival. Tears were streaking down her cheeks. She opened her hand towards him.

"Please, give it back. It's all I had," she pleaded softly.

"This?" he dangled the lock of hair.

"Yes, please," she ran to him, grasped it gently, and he let it go. She clutched it to her blossom and bit her lower lip, "The pictures?"

"The kids want to see them," said InuYasha.

"I don't want them to," responded Kagome.

"Why?"

"It's too hard for them to understand everything. It will only make it worse."

"They have to understand. Not understanding is causing more pain than the truth," he said. Kagome stared off at the bedroom wall. Her knuckles turned white because of her grip on the hair.

"You will give them back to me, later?" asked Kagome.

"Yes," said the hanyou, "if that will make you happy." Kagome gave a hallow laugh.

"I'm a prisoner. I have no control over my happiness," she said. She walked to the bed and sat down facing the window.

"It doesn't have to be this way," said InuYasha. "We were both tricked by the well. We have both suffered. I'm not dead, Kagome. I came back for you. I'll help raise the children. We can be… happy… at last." Kagome raised the covers and slipped under them.

"His hair, it turns black on the new moon. It used to give me hope, but not any longer," said the Miko.

"You don't need hope anymore. You have me. The real me," he said. He waited for her response but she didn't say anything more. He sighed. "Do you want me to leave?" He listened to her even breathing. He went over to her, touched her shoulder hesitantly, "Kagome?" _She fell asleep. All that crying and screaming wore her out. _He sat down next to her bed, breathing in her scent, and decided to sleep in the room for the night. He knew he would probably be purified in the morning if he didn't make it out before she awoke.

In the morning InuYasha managed to tip toe out of the room before Kagome awoke. He had thought much during the night about Kagome and Toshi. He had come to some difficult decisions and he wasn't sure how Mrs. Higuarshi would take them. It was time for him to be responsible for his family, as it was time for Mrs. Higuarshi to be a grandmother and not a caretaker and head of their family.

InuYasha could smell breakfast cooking and hear his son and Mrs. Higuarshi talking in the kitchen. Toshi opened her bedroom door and rubbed her eyes.. InuYasha offered her his hand, she took it and tottered down the stairs with him. He went to the kitchen and sat her in a chair. Mrs. Higuarshi gave her a plate of food and returned to the counter.

"Can I see you outside for a minute?" asked the hanyou.

"Sure," said Mrs. Higuarshi smiling. She followed InuYasha out the back door and closed it gently behind her. "What is it?"

"I want to take Kagome and the kids back down the well," InuYasha said boldly. Mrs. Higarshi's brown eyes widened. "Maybe Kagome just needs to hear from Sango that the letter was a mistake. If not, then maybe it's something else, some kind of magic. Kaede maybe be able to help her if she can see her." Kagome's mother was looking at the ground, considering the words of the hanyou seriously. "I don't know if the well is even going to open, but I want to try. It's the best thing I can think of for Kagome. I have to take the kids too in case we can't get back."

"You will try to get back though? Let me know what happens? How Kagome is getting by?" asked Mrs. Higuarshi.

"Yes, of course," said InuYasha. She nodded with a serious expression.

"When will you tell Toshi that you are their father?"

"Today I guess, before we go."

"You want to leave so soon?"

"There's no point in waiting."

"Alright. I'll call Souta, you have to see him before you go. He missed you too. And he should say goodbye to his niece and nephew, just in case…" InuYasha nodded, happy to agree to her easy terms. "Also, I'll call the doctor, tell him that I'm going on a trip and need some valium. We can give the valium to Kagome in her tea before you leave. That way she will sleep through your journey."

The children were called off "sick" from school for the day. InuYasha showed them both the photo album. He explained who everyone was and described their personalities. Toshi looked doubtfully at the pictures as if she didn't believe the Great Dog Demon stories could be true. Kishirou excitedly pointed and asked questions. Mrs. Higuarshi smiled when she watched them snuggled on the couch together and even took a few pictures to remember them by.

Souta arrived in the evening, running up to his child hood hero and giving him a swift hug. He then held the confused hanyou at arm's length and smiled.

"I _knew_ you would find a way back to my sister," said Souta. His voice was a deeper baritone and he had grown to the same height as the half demon. InuYasha 'keh' in response as he took in the youth's changed appearance. "You will take care of her, won't you? Make sure nothing happens to her on the other side of the well. She's not herself."

"I know," InuYasha said. "I'll protect her, kid." Souta gave a hearty laugh.

"I haven't been called a child in quite some time."

"I guess it has been awhile," said InuYasha. He clapped Souta on the shoulder and said with a low tone, "Take care of your mother after we are gone."

"I will," Souta promised.

"I have to talk to Toshi for a bit. Then I'm going to explain it to Kishirou. Your mother is packing a backpack the way Kagome used to. Could you help her unpack some of that? I have to carry Kagome, the kids, and that… and the larger it is the more awkward it will be to handle everything. I can't talk any sense into her, "explained InuYasha. Souta gladly agreed and went into the kitchen. InuYasha went to the dinning room where the children were coloring. He asked to see Toshi for a bit, picked her up, took her to the children's bedroom. He sat Toshi on the bed and sat next to her.

"Toshi, you remember how I was a friend of your mom's from before," asked InuYasha. _Kami, this is even harder because she still smells like that damn bleach. I'm about to tell her I'm her father and I'm not even certain I am! I want to be and I'll take care of her… but there might be some poor other guy out there who doesn't even know he has a kid, like I used to be. And he might want to be her father if given the chance. And her real dad might be on the other side of the well if Kagome made it back more than once and… and… mistaken a youkai or even another hanyou for me. How the hell could that have happened? Kami, please let Toshi be mine. _

"uh-huh," said Toshi swinging her feet.

"I'm a bit more than that," he hesitated then continued, "I'm Kishirou's and your father."

"Oh, well you can be Kishirou's daddy that's fine. I already have one," said Toshi.

"No, I mean, I'm really your father. Hojo, he's done a lot for you kids. I know he'll always be special, but he's married and he's going to have his own kids," the hanyou tried to explain.

"I asked him and he said it was fine," replied the little girl innocently.

"Yes, I know he said it was fine," InuYasha started to get frustrated and tried a different approach. "The well house you are not allowed to go inside of is how I met your mother. I was stuck to a tree, 500 years in the past-"

"Oh gees, not this story again. Kishirou would recite it every night after Grandma went to sleep. It's boring," whined Toshi.

"Listen pup, it's true. And it's not boring! You remember Kaede from the stories?" asked InuYasha. Toshi nodded. "Well, she's real. Just like me and everyone else. We have to go back, because Kaede may be able to help your mother remember things."

"What do you mean, go back?"

"We have to go through the well to 500 years in the past."

"I want to stay with Hojo and Grandma," said Toshi.

"You have to come with me pup. You, your mom and your brother."

"No! I want to stay with Grandma!" screamed Toshi. The door clicked open and Kishirou stomped in.

"Are you crazy, Toshi? Its going to be cool! We get to see youkai and everyone from the stories! And it could make mommy better!" argued Kishirou. InuYasha's eyebrow twitched.

"Were you listening at the door?" the hanyou asked dangerously low. Kishirou, shook his head 'no' then 'yes' and darted out of the room and ran down the stairs.

"Why do you do that?" asked Toshi.

"Do what?"

"Make that noise, you sound like a dog," replied Toshi. InuYasha mild growl turned into a louder rumbling snarl at her accusation. He picked her up and went down the stairs.

"You are going with us. If you continue to call Hojo 'dad' you are going to be in big trouble," said InuYasha. Toshi pushed at his hold on her, she began crying loudly. "Your grandmother has already packed your things." When he entered the kitchen the two adults turned around surprised at Toshi's tears.

"What's wrong?" asked Mrs. Higuarshi.

"I don't want to go! I want to stay with you!" cried Toshi.

"Oh dear," said Mrs. Higuarshi. "Here let me have her for a bit." InuYasha passed the kicking Toshi to Mrs. Higuarshi. She clung to her grandmother and buried her face in her shoulder. She rubbed the little girls back, walked out the kitchen door, and said over her shoulder "I'm going to talk to her for a bit. We'll be back in a little while." Mrs. Higuarshi closed the kitchen door and walked out to the great tree. InuYasha hit the table with his fist causing Kishirou to jump back. He let out a deep breathe to calm his raging emotions of rejection and worry. He didn't want to scare the other pup as bad as he had the little girl.

"Is Kagome ready?" asked InuYasha tiredly.

"She should be asleep by now. Probably will be resting peacefully for the next 8 hours," answered Souta. InuYasha nodded. "I've trimmed down the backpack as much as my mom would allow." The hanyou took note of the pile of objects on the table that had been removed from the bag.

"Souta, could you put that green ball back in?" asked InuYasha.

"She already has a blue one."

"I know, but she's going to be upset when we get there. It might help. I'm going to go get Kagome," said InuYasha. He felt weary before he had even jumped down the well. All this heartache may be for naught if the well didn't open for them. And if it didn't, he had resolved to try every Friday until it did. If the well never opened again, he would have to find some other way to help Kagome.

Mrs. Higuarshi and Souta had secured the two children to InuYasha's back with a harness. They assumed the children would safely travel through the well as long as they were touching him, just as the backpack and other objects always had. Mrs. Higuarshi had talked to Toshi until she had accepted the idea of going with InuYasha. She still sniffled and pouted. InuYasha had the backback slung over his elbow and carried Kagome bridal style. They had all said their goodbyes. Mrs. Higuarshi had insisted on sending pictures of her and Souta with the children in case this was their last parting. _Kami, I hope this works. It was such a mess getting everyone and everything together to go. _ He leapt and was enveloped in the blue light. As his hair settled he could smell the fresh forest air. _Thank_ _Kami._

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Review please! I'd like to know how you feel about Kishirou and Toshi's personalities. And what you think of the story in general! Thankyou to everyone who reviewed the last chapter!_  
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	12. What's Wrong Kagome?

InuYasha leapt out of well, compensating for the additional weight. His ears perked up as he listened to all the forest sounds. Toshi tightened her grip on his shoulder and he could hear her sniffing the air. Kishirou had started to squirm against the harness hold.

"Let me down! Let me down!" said Kishirou.

"No, you gotta stay up there for now."

"Please!" asked Kishirou.

"No. Hold still pup," said InuYasha. He began the walk to the village, going slowly because of the extra weight. When the village came into sight so did Shippo running towards them.

"InuYasha! Kagome!" cried the little fox youkai. Toshi sank lower into the harness while Kishirou rose as much as he could. Shippo made a leap for Kagome and InuYasha nimbly dodged him. The kitsune flew past them. Toshi hissed at the passing ball of orange fur and then Shippo hit a tree.

"Don't get over excited, Shippo," said InuYasha. The little fox began to cry to get attention from Kagome. "Stop it, Shippo." InuYasha turned away and began to walk towards the village again.

"Yeah you big baby," said Kishirou. Instantly Shippo stopped crying. He leapt up on InuYasha's shoulder circling Kishirou and then Toshi, sniffing loudly.

"Quit it," said InuYasha who tried to shrug the kitsune off.

"Who are you?" asked Shippo.

"I'm Kishirou," he said proudly, "InuYasha is my Dad." InuYasha gave a cocky half smile. Toshi hissed again at Shippo and then bit down on his foot. Shippo squeaked and hopped to InuYasha's other shoulder. He grabbed ahold of InuYasha's hair and gave it two tugs a customary request to whisper in his ear. InuYasha tilted his head to the small fox.

"Is it true?" asked the kitsune.

"Yeah, its true," said InuYasha. "They are both mine."

"You cheating dog, who's the mother?" demanded Shippo. The hanyou shook his hair tossing Shippo to the ground.

"Who do you think, baka?" asked InuYasha tauntingly. Shippo picked himself up and started following the older hanyou.

"Why hasn't Kagome said anything?" asked Shippo.

"She's asleep," said InuYasha. "Don't try to wake her. She's not herself. I have to see Kaede."

"I'll run ahead and let her know," said Shippo taking off at a full run to the village.

"Come back here, Shippo! Wait!" shouted InuYasha, "Damnit" he cursed under his breath. _Shippo will wake up the whole village_.

"He was a Youkai," Toshi said quietly.

"Yes," replied InuYasha. "You don't have to afraid of that squirt."

"Mommy said all Youkai were bad," said Toshi.

"Well, not all of them are. Shippo is just annoying not dangerous," said the hanyou.

"I could take him," said Kishirou.

"You sure could runt," said InuYasha.

Miroku and Sango were the first two to greet InuYasha in the village. They were both surprised by the appearance of Kagome and the children peering over InuYasha's shoulders.

"Is she hurt?" asked Sango.

"No, not physically. I'll explain later. I just need a place to sleep for the night and somewhere for the kids," said InuYasha.

"You can all stay with us," offered Miroku.

"Can't," replied InuYasha. "Or at least Kagome can't. It would be better if she slept away from myself and the kids."

"InuYasha," said Sango disapprovingly.

"She's… she's… purified both myself and Kishirou. The kid doesn't have a human form. It might kill him the next time," explained the hanyou quietly.

"Okaasan didn't mean to do it to me," said Kishirou. "She was after daddy."

"Yeah, pup, I know. I just don't want to risk it right now. You're staying with me," replied InuYasha.

"Then Kaede's place," suggested Miroku.

"How about the hay storage?" asked InuYasha. Sango stamped her foot.

"Kagome is a person not something you shuff into-" Sango was interrupted by InuYasha.

"Has to be somewhere with a lock. It wouldn't normally be my first pick either." InuYasha lowered Kagome to the ground gently. "Here take this," InuYasha handed Miroku the large yellow backpack. "Sango can you help me get the children down?" Sango nodded and began to unbuckle the straps.

"And who are you?" asked Sango.

"Toshi," she said quietly.

"I'm Kishirou!" said the boy. Once the children were freed from the harness, InuYasha asked Miroku to put them to bed for the night with his own kids. Miroku agreed and Sango accompanied InuYasha to the stables. On the way Kaede and Shippo met up with them.

Once inside InuYasha gently laid Kagome down on the hay. He brushed her hair away from her eyes and nuzzled her nose gently with his own. He didn't care that three sets of eyes watched his affection; he had so little opportunities to touch Kagome, that her closeness was more important than his possible embarrassment. He leaned his forehead against hers and inhaled her scent, then kissed her forehead and stood.

"She doesn't recognize me. I was attacked by a spider youkai in her time. Toshi has my nose." InuYasha taped his nose with a clawed finger, "She smelled the spider youkai and told Kagome. Since Sango sent a letter telling Kagome I was dead…" InuYasha explained while Sango blushed, "she assumed that I couldn't be me, but rather some trick of Naraku's. That's when she tried to purify me and Kishirou was caught in the middle."

"Oh my," said Sango, "I just assumed the letter never made it through because you couldn't get through the well when you came to the village after the mountain's collapse. I wrote it because I would want to know if something had happened to Miroku…"

"I'm hoping all it is is a misunderstanding. But Kagome's mother said she has been screaming and crying for years… and that her stories change. Things don't make sense to her when you try to explain them… Kaede, do you think she could be under some kind of magic spell?" asked InuYasha.

The elder woman knelt down to Kagome's side. "Why does she sleep so soundly?" asked Kaede.

"Some kind of medicine that her mother gave her. I have another dose, just in case something happens. She will wake in the morning."

"I won't be able to tell you until she does awaken," said Kaede gravely.

"That's fine. I could use some sleep. The kids have been running around all day."

"She was pregnant when she left?" asked Sango.

"Before the well sealed, yes. I told you I saw her one other time after that," replied InuYasha. Sango nodded, her eyes were filled with unshed tears.

"You are very lucky, InuYasha," said Sango speaking of the children. InuYasha unconsciously stood straighter and pulled back his shoulders proudly.

As the first rays of light washed over the hut, Kishirou bounded out of bed. He wasn't the only one that woke so early. Miroku and Sango's three children also arose to find the new visitors and did what they had been trained to do.

"Youkai!" shouted the oldest child Haro. The other two jumped on top of Kishirou, pulling on his little black inu ears. Haro got a pillow and started to thump Kishirou. Toshi awoke with a start and ran to InuYasha, leaping into his lap for protection. Kishirou screamed as he ran around the hut with the other children chasing him. InuYasha gave a tired growl and shut his eyes again, allowing the little girl to hide her face in his chest. Shippo jumped between the children and transformed into a large fox that growled and snapped. Miroku's kids went running out the door screaming. Shippo popped back into his small form and Kishirou scratched the back of his head. He then checked to make sure his ears were still attached. The children peered back inside.

"Stop being crazy," said InuYasha opening one eye to look at all the children. "Kishirou is only a ¼ youkai. He's not even a full demon. Second, do you really think he would be sleeping in here if he wasn't invited?" The kids smiled nervously and filed back into the room.

"That's Kishirou," said Inuyasha pointing a claw at his son, "That's Haro," pointing to the eldest boy, "Miya," pointing to the middle child and only daughter and "Jiro," pointing to the youngest boy. "And this is Toshi," said InuYasha. Toshi still clung to the firerat robes. "Now all of you be quiet or play outside until breakfast is ready." Kishirou pointed to himself, "Yes you too. Stay near the other kids." The children ran out happily. Toshi stayed with InuYasha.

InuYasha went to the stables not too long after catching a little more sleep. Toshi had to be coaxed to play hide and seek with the other children but once she was comfortable smiled easily and enjoyed the game. He found Sango sitting out side the stable looking at her sandals. He greeted her and she looked up at his towering form.

"I spoke with her," Sango said softy. InuYasha sat down next to her to hear the retelling. "You're right. There's something else wrong. Kaede is with her now. She must have told me six different versions of how she found you and conceived Toshi." InuYasha blushed, and Sango continued, "Several stories were on this side of the well, but two of them took place in her time. I tried to tell her you were alive but it was like she couldn't hear me. She's happy to be here but she was saying nonsense. She had a hard time focusing on me. She was walking around staring at nothing. It was like watching someone in a dream."

Kaede walked out the door and closed it gently. She had a worried expression on her face. She requested the monk presence but wouldn't say anything more. InuYasha's hair rose when Kaede and Miroku re-entered the stable. He knew they must be channeling energy to try to heal Kagome. His dog ears drooped and he too stared at his feet. Kaede came out an hour after.

"InuYasha," she said sternly. "You remember that I couldn't tell you why the well had sealed? Only that it was a powerful spell, one I could not break," asked Kaede. InuYasha nodded in remembrance and Keade continued, "I thought it was the natural magic of the well, but now I see this is untrue. For what ails Kagome also ails the well."

Kaede stared at him seriously. She raised her hand and rested it on the half demon's shoulder to comfort him and steady herself. "She has been inflected this pain by my sister, Kikyo. She is taking back her soul. Any time Kagome channeled she left herself vulnerable to my sister pulling some of her soul back. In the fight against Naraku Kikyo never took quested for her soul. Something changed in her after Naraku died. Kikyo sealed the well and has been draining Kagome of her soul for six years. Kagome has very little time left. She cannot survive with so little of a soul. When she dies, the rest of it will return to Kikyo if she does not pull it away from Kagome sooner. I am sad to say this, but it is true. Miroku and I have done what we can for the girl, but she needs the rest of her soul back to survive."

"Why would Kikyo do that?" asked InuYasha softy.

"That I do not know. Only Kikyo knows why she has acted this way," replied Kaede. InuYasha ears twitched in the breeze. He caught the scent of the dead priestess. She had been living near the village for the past six years. He had never sought her out. She stayed in the mountains or by the river. He had been avoiding her since Kagome's disappearance. It had not been difficult because she had also been avoiding him. "There is only one way to return Kagome's soul to her body," said Kaede ominously. "She has been too long a unwhole person." InuYasha looked down at his long claws and allowed his bangs to fall forward in front of his eyes.

"I have to kill her?"

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Yeah, I did end it there. It was just too tempting : ) Please review!


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